Kearney Regional Medical Center Starts Canine Volunteer Partner Program
Calling all dog owners! Kearney Regional Medical Center is looking for volunteers in the newly-formed Canine Volunteer Partner Program.
Canine Volunteer Partners and their certified dogs assist patients in the healing process by stimulating discussion, socialization, and interaction.
Canine Volunteer Partners must:
- Meet all certification and vaccination requirements expected of all KRMC Volunteers
- Be the owner of the dog, and have sole responsibility for the certification, immunizations, and care of the dog.
- Wear identification as a KRMC Volunteer.
- Obtain and display the provided white bandana and pat tag on their dog.
- Stay with their dog at all times while visiting. Dogs must be on a leash/harness.
- Keep dogs well-groomed. Unhealthy or unkempt dogs will be refused a visit.
- Check in for each visit, and work with Volunteer Coordinator to schedule visits.
How to get your dog certified:
- Review requirements from one of the certifiers listed below.
Optional: work with Lost Creek Training (lostcreektraining.com) to complete training
- Have observation completed and submit for certification.
- Receive certification and provide to KRMC Volunteer Services coordinator.
Certifications approved and used (required every 2 years):
- *Pet Partners/Delta Society – deltasociety.org
- *Therapy Dogs International – tdi-dog.org
- Alliance of Therapy Dogs – therapydogs.com
- Domesti-Pups – domesti-pups.org
- Healing Heart Therapy Dogs – healinghearttherapydogs.org
- Love on a Leash – loveonaleash.org
*Recommended organizations
Required immunizations:
- Rabies – every 1-3 years
- Distemper – every 3 years (may be listed as CDV(MLV) or rCDV)
- Adenovirus-2 – every 3 years (may be listed as CAV-2)
- Parvovirus – every 3 years (may be listed as CPV-2(MLV)
For questions/to apply, contact:
Amanda Polacek
Marketing Manager & Volunteer Coordinator
amanda.polacek@bryanhealth.org
308-455-3738
