Implementation of an Animal Therapy Program

So, as I mentioned previously, my senior thesis was Animal Assisted Therapy: A Broad Perspective on a Growing Field. When I first came to Jamaica I mentioned to the farmhands at Jerusalem! that it would be nice if we had some rabbits for the kids to play with. Within a week I had two of them and as one thing led to another I found myself going from supervisor to supervisor seeking permission to start implementation of an Animal Therapy Program for Mustard Seed Communities. Those at the top of the chain of command responded positively asking that I run it by all those directly under them. Finally I was asked to write a proposal for the idea so they would see how I would intend to pull it off, what I wanted to do, and how I would conclude it when the time comes for me to leave, my plans for now are to stay for a year. I finally got to put that on the desk of the "second in command", Mrs W., over all of Mustard Seed Communities and she gave me the go ahead. I am still working out details but the fact that I got a yes at all is pretty amazing. I was planning on working solely with rabbits, and possible a small lamb, but the "head" asked me if it would be possible to do Animal Therapy with dogs! I wasn't even going to ask if I could work with one of the puppies because of all the red tape that I would have to go through and I never thought they would respond positively. God is providing and softening hearts!

Let me tell you...having three puppies is a lot of work! ugh...how I wound up with three is a long story and getting to the point where I have them living on the grounds of Sophie's Place was a pretty stress filled time. The one thing that comforts me is that they can't fire me as I am a volunteer and they won't send me home. :) Having spent days with all three of them I have singled out the one that is most likely to do well as a therapy animal. Therapy animals need to be docile and calm. They shouldn't have any tendencies towards nipping and be well behaved. I have already began teaching Raphael how to sit and stand. Since the first day I brought her home I have been holding her at strange angles, picking her up in different ways and tugging on her ears and tail. She doesn't even flinch at this point. For the population I will be working with it is very important she is used to being held upside down, sideways, awkwardly. They aren't her preferred ways of being held but she will lay still in any of them now. I named her Raphael, or Raphaella if preferred, because St. Raphael the Archangel is the patron saint of the blind, of happy meetings, of nurses, of physicians, and of travelers. I feel like he fits into so much of my life right now. He is also thought to be the angel who stirred the waters of a healing pool in the Old Testament.

It is difficult because even with the support of upper administration many of the staff are pretty unhappy about having any type of animal around the children. The most I have heard them say about it is that it makes their jobs harder because the children get excited. So even though I have approval, I am not getting very much support in some quarters. If a look can speak a thousand words though I must be in the billions by now.

Part of my proposal includes, which was strongly suggested by Mrs. W., that any animals I use must be assessed by the Jamaican Association for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal, better known as JAPCA. I have taken Raphael there twice. Both times I told the vet helping me about MSC and the Animal Therapy Program. As a result they waived the fees for assessment and just had me pay for her medications and shots. Every little bit helps. I have dewormed Raphael by giving her an oral medicine for three days, ridded her of fleas and ticks by special shampoo and sprays and I bought some ointment for a skin problem we don't want to get any bigger. The vets shot her up with bunch of vitamins and this week I took her back for her first shots.

MSC basically told me I can do whatever I want as long as it doesn't cost them money or cause to many problems. So besides veterinary bills I have the expenses of dog food and paraphernalia as well as the challenge of building a dog cage. Everything takes longer and is more difficult to attain here so the cage is still presenting a problem. Today I had one of the short term groups (here for the week) go through a part of the yard and remove all the rocks and boulders from the ground as well as level it off. They did an incredible job! I really wish I had a before picture. It was like a mini jungle out there. Because of hurricanes we needed a higher place for the kennel so they put all the rocks together to make a platform. It is pretty tetras style. I'm impressed! Now, as soon as the Supervisor here saw it, after giving me permission to make the dog pen out there and letting me ask the group to help out, he told me that he actually was planning on putting a vegetable garden out there. Go figure. He wants it to be less than half the size we had been planning on. I'm not to worried though. Even so...pray that in the end everyone is at peace and he has a softening of heart.

Right now the puppies are living under a staircase but I would like to get Raphael out of there as soon as possible. The two other puppies are not going to be used for therapy dogs. One of them another volunteer wants to keep and one we are going to give away.

We still are going to need to get supplies for a fence and a dog house as well as more dog food, etc. I am also going to have to take the rabbits to get shots. I have been using what I can of the stipend CMMB is giving me, but by the end of the month after rent, groceries, and transportation costs, little is left over.

If anyone feels they can help to sponsor the Animal Assisted Therapy Program for Mustard Seed Communities by cash donations we would all appreciate it.

You can send a check, made out to Angela Santoro to

484 W. Kanai

Porterville, CA

93257

Any money, in any form, that is sent directly to Jamaica is generally removed from the envelope before it gets to us. From the US address the money can be deposited into an account. Thank you for any support you can give and as always, thanks for the prayers!