Lucky Dog would like to thank Polly Ames from the twin cities, a registered Delta Therapy Pet Partner Team Evaluator and Pet Partner visiting Team with her own dog Louie, who has been coming to Detroit Lakes to do our evaluations. We held our first therapy training classes in September of 2008 and 8 of 11 people were evaluated ready to begin visiting on Saturday, November 22, 2008. Thank you also to Emmanuel Community and Cheryl Krause, Director of Nursing, for their support to get a local visiting therapy group off the ground. We look forward to visiting in our community!

Mary finished the home study course of the Delta registered team evaluator training and attended and passed the practicum in the Twin Cities with Carol Ouhl on Saturday, November 22, 2008. She is now registered with Delta to be able to evaluate therapy teams and will be teaching the therapy classes here at Lucky Dog. (Did you know that there are only 10 registered evaluators in the state of Minnesota, including Mary Holsen, and only three in North Dakota?)

We will be holding a seminar during the winter of 2009 for anyone that is interested in participating in therapy training classes. Topics covered will be an overview of the three main therapy pet organizations, a presentation of what will be covered in an 8 week therapy class, what qualities are important for the handler and pet of a therapy team, and a demonstration of an evaluation for the Pet Partner Team. Polly and Mary will also be holding evaluations at this time.

Please contact Mary Holsen at Lucky Dog - Email or 218-847-4100 to register or for more information.