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Meet Shirley Ryan AbilityLab's trained therapy dogs: our labradoodles, Wrigley and Louie, and our golden retriever, Tala. Animal-assisted therapy is the use of a dog to facilitate positive changes in a broad spectrum of therapeutic settings. Under the direction of trained professionals, animal-assisted therapy can promote physical movement, emotional well being, cognitive awareness and social improvement for people with disabilities.
Our staff canine companion and service dogs assist patients with various physical, cognitive and emotional treatment goals through individual treatments or visits to the patient units handled by trained recreational therapists.
We also offer a weekly animal-assisted therapy program with the Canine Therapy Corps. Certified therapy dogs and volunteers work in groups with patients to reach rehabilitation goals under the supervision of recreational therapists.