yaras-approval-as-a-play-therapy-animal.pdf
Yara is a two-year-old English Labrador Retriever. She is energetic, playful, curious, and confident. Yara loves people and other animals. She frequently invites others to play and/or suggests play. Yara is especially fond of using her nose to learn about the world, search for food, explore, and involve herself in whatever is happening around her. Her favorite toys are sticks, bones, ropes, the rubber chicken, and the piano.
Yara is approved by The International Institute for Animal Assisted Play Therapy®. The animal approval process, for Animal Assisted Play Therapy ® involves a specific evaluation, called The Animal Appropriateness Scale, of each animal. This is done in person and by video. The evaluation is completed by three independent evaluators and involves each evaluator scoring multiple criteria, including those specific to the characteristics of the dog and demonstration of trained behaviors. Dogs must exhibit and meet the following to be approved: sociable, playful, easily engaged, tolerant, respectful of boundaries, patient, self-regulated, cooperative, confident, healthy, energetic, flexible, free of significant problems, able to learn (VanFleet, 2013, 2015).