VIST ETIQUETTE
- Do Do remember your first allegiance is to your pet. Watch for signs of fatigue or nervousness during every visit. Forty-five minutes to an hour visit is the limit for most pets. Like people, pets have good and bad days. Learn to read the warning signs from your pet that it is time to end your visit. Have water and a treat available to reward your pet’s good work.
2. Do have your dog on a flat collar, a martingale collar, or a simple harness—no chain or choke collars. Use no more than an 8-foot leash. Do not use flexi-leashes when visiting. Also, never let your dog off leash when he or she is visiting. Always be cautious around oxygen, catheters, and other equipment that could entangle your dog. Do not schedule visits during mealtimes!
3. Do plan on arriving at each visit at least 15 minutes early, especially if you will be meeting with another dog or dogs. Parallel walking, with handlers on the inside and dogs on the outside, is the best way to introduce dogs. Maintain 10 feet of space between dogs throughout your visit. Therapy Dog visits are about dogs greeting people, not dogs greeting or playing with each other.
4. Do not hand your leash to anyone else during a visit. You are responsible for your pet’s behavior. Under no circumstances should you give up control of your pet’s leash.
5. Do not allow your pet to be fed by anyone you visit, including residents, staff, and students.
6. Do remember quality, not quantity, is important. You don’t have to cover an entire facility in one visit.
7. Do remember not all residents welcome pets. Before entering a room, ask if the occupant(s) would welcome a visit. While many will, some may prefer to wave from a distance and others may decline. Where possible, ask staff for their suggestions. Or, make a note of names or room numbers of residents who welcome pets. Share this information with other volunteers who visit. Also, don’t assume all staff are comfortable around pets. Respect their feelings.
8. Do watch for signs of unexpected interest. Pets often call up pleasant memories in residents who may otherwise be unresponsive. Connecting with these residents can be especially rewarding.
9. Do remember we are friendly visitors brightening each resident’s day. Use your pet to engage them in conversation. We are not problem solvers or resident advocates. Try to steer discussions away from complaints or concerns about the administration. A few residents may ask your pet to do something he/she is unaccustomed to doing or prefers not to do (stand on a chair or jump up on a wheelchair occupant’s lap, for example). Be courteous but firm in declining.
10. Do remember to watch for residents who may want to follow you and your pet out of restricted areas where the resident belongs. In preventing such an occurrence, you might remind the resident that you will be back for another visit.
11. Do remember we are guests of the institution. Respect their guidelines and culture. You may want to check with the desk to see if there is a Patient Bill of Rights for you to review.
12. Do make sure your pet is clean and brushed before you visit. Check toenails and clip/file them when needed. Have your pet empty its bladder before you enter the facility. Carry a plastic bag and paper towel in case of an accident.
13. Do keep in mind that pet tricks are fun for residents to watch. However, remember that ball playing is for outside activities only. Do not play ball inside a nursing facility.
14. If you wish to visit residents outside of your home county, be sure to contact your coordinator first to guide you through the process. Your coordinator will make the initial contact with the “out of county” coordinator where you may wish to visit. Coordinators from other counties may meet you at the new facility, set up time sheets/medical records, introduce you to staff, etc.