TulsaPets Magazine November 2022

22 TulsaPets • November / December 2022 “Some take longer,” Anderson says, “like two-and-a-half years. There have been a couple of instances where a dog was two years old already, but she came from a trainer who was trying her for service work and then went a different route, so we purchased that dog from her.” When a dog is “rerouted” because it turns out to not be an ideal service dog candidate, it is labeled a “career change pup.” Those dogs might become emotion- al-support animals. Volunteer Trainers Are Needed Desperately For 30 years, Therapetics has fulfilled the founder’s mission, but now more than ever, the nonprofit needs volunteer trainers. Anyone older than 14 can volunteer to train a service dog — no special credentials are needed. “We are so desperate for volunteers,” Anderson says. “We are 100 percent volunteer run, and our trainers are just volunteers in the community. They make a commitment to train this puppy from that age to a year-and-a-half. They can do just the puppy raising, and then someone else will take the dog and finish it out and do the fine-tuning, like mobility skills and PTSD. “Right now, we are turning away puppies from breeders that want to donate good prospects because we don’t have anyone to train them. This started after the COVID pandemic. We have had the hard- est time finding trainers. It has gotten a little better, but it’s hard to find volunteers willing to make the commitment. Even high school students can be trainers, which as an added bonus, looks nice on a college application.” Anderson’s dog Angel was trained by a high school student and went everywhere the girl went, including school. Therapetics provides all the training materials, and volunteers attend weekly group training sessions. They are asked to take the dogs wherever they go so the dogs can experience everyday environments. Therapetics also provides all the necessary supplies such as food, treats, crate, etc. David Martin is a volunteer with Ther- apetics who is training a canine named Knox. “I chose Therapetics because they’re one of the most established service-dog nonprofits in the area,” he says. “I love the bonding and incremental progress when training service dogs. As a veteran with PTSD, it has been therapeutic for me as well.” Although anyone can be a trainer, it is a full-time commitment. For those unable to make such a commitment, intermittent puppy-sitting is also needed from time to time. To volunteer or for more information, visit therapetics.org, call (918) 270-4226, or e-mail info@therapetics.org. 44 Years Full Service Veterinary for Small Animals and Exotic Pets 8134 S Harvard Ave • 918-481-0440 https://danner.vet DAN G. DANNER DVM, BS Happy Holidays! City Veterinary Hospital CHET S. THOMAS, DVM / OK LIC #3519 dr.chet.thomas@gmail.com 918-933-6060 In Scissortail Square • 41st & 129th E Ave Mention this ad for a FREE tooth brushing or specialty shampoo David Martin, a veteran with PTSD, is training Knox for Therapetics Service Dogs.