Contribution Questions:
Question: I have an animal that I think would be perfect for therapy work.
How
can I volunteer with National Capital Therapy Dogs?
Answer:
To visit with NCTD, you and your animal must first qualify as a NCTD Volunteer Team.
Question: What are the benefits to volunteering with
NCTD?
Answer:
NCTD provides numerous benefits, including:
- We have already established relationships with facilities
in the Baltimore-Washington area. These facilities know about National
Capital Therapy Dogs and are comfortable having our animals visit their
facilities.
- We provide constant training via NCTD open floors. These classes are
intended for both new teams as well as experienced teams. These
classes, in addition to allowing the animals to socialize, provide a great
deal of information beyond the NCTD training. And most importantly,
they're fun!
- We visit facilities as a group. This allows teams to meet and learn
from each other. It also tends to provide better visits, since we can
send the right team to visit the right people.
- We have social events to get together just for fun. The handlers get
to share stories, and the dogs get to play and sometimes get to go
"wiener bobbing"!
- We send out the NCTD newsletter, a volunteer roster, and other information
to all volunteers on a periodic basis. This keeps volunteers informed
of the latest NCTD information.
Question: Can I volunteer with someone else's
animal?
Answer:
Yes. The same procedures apply to become a NCTD Volunteer team. The
only additional requirement is a note from the owner giving permission for you
to work with the animal.
Question: I have a cat/rabbit/llama/etc. that
would be perfect for therapy work. Can I work with NCTD?
Answer:
Yes! Other animals are welcomed in our organization. We have a
couple of places that they may be able to visit... nursing homes and assisted
living facilities generally welcome them. Each hospital facility that we
visit may have restrictions (e.g., for cats, front claws removed or indoor cat
only). Please contact us for more information.
Question: I don't have an animal that would qualify for therapy work.
Can I still volunteer with NCTD?
Answer:
Yes! People who do not have an animal can assist NCTD by organizing
events, helping with workshops and evaluations, providing educational
presentations, or helping with general administrative tasks. And, of
course, financial contributions are gratefully accepted.
Individuals with no animal who wish to volunteer with NCTD must complete training requirements and pass the
volunteer review.
Question: When is the next Volunteer Training Class/Volunteer Team
Screening/NCTD Open Floor?
Answer:
The NCTD Calendar of Events shows the complete list
of NCTD visits, events and meetings. The top portion of the calendar
contains all Volunteer Training Classes, Team Screenings and NCTD Open
Floors.
Question: I don't have much spare time to visit.
If I become an NCTD
volunteer, what's expected of me?
Answer:
The minimum requirements for maintaining an active status in NCTD are:
- Maintaining NCTD Volunteer registration. (Each team must be
re-tested every 2 years.)
- Attending at least one NCTD open floor per calendar year.
- Assuming you visit an NCTD facility with your animal, consistently visiting
the facility. (We visit most
facilities 1-2 times per month.) A typical visit lasts about one hour,
although time to get your partner ready, driving time, etc. add to the
required time commitment.
Of course, if you have more time, we encourage you to:
- Attend more open floors (We recommend attending as many as possible.)
- Visiting additional facilities, as long as you can commit to consistently
visiting the facilities.
- Attending NCTD social events, such as the awards night, picnic, and
holiday party.
- Assist with events, such as Volunteer team screenings, NCTD demonstrations,
etc.
- Become involved with the NCTD Board of Directors to help shape the future
of NCTD.
Question: Besides visiting, how else can I volunteer with NCTD?
Answer:
While some volunteers prefer to just visit with their partners, many others
also help with the numerous responsibilities of the organization. Responsibilities include:
- Coordinating Volunteer training sessions and team screenings.
- Corresponding with potential volunteers, facilities, etc.
- Coordinating with NCTD facilities, including evaluating potential new
facilities.
- Volunteer services, including placing new volunteers and helping current
volunteers.
- Organizing social events, such as the NCTD awards night, the NCTD picnic,
and the NCTD holiday party.
- Handling NCTD public relations, including press releases, organizing NCTD
demonstrations, etc.
- Handling back-office functions (mailings, newsletter, taxes, United Way
paperwork)
Question: Is NCTD hiring?
Answer:
NCTD is 100% volunteer-based. We have no paid positions. But if you're willing to volunteer, we would appreciate any help you
can offer!
Question: How much does it cost to volunteer with NCTD?
Answer:
There is no cost to volunteer with NCTD once you become a NCTD Volunteer. Becoming a NCTD Vlunteer does involve cost however. The
exact cost to become a Volunteer varies depending on the number of handlers in
the family, the handlers' ages, the number of animals to be registered,
etc. Typical costs for an adult registering with one animal are:
| Description |
Cost (as of May, 2011) |
| Volunteer Training Class |
$65 |
| Therapy Dog Training Course |
$95 |
| Team Evaluation |
$20 |
SUB TOTAL: |
| $180 |
| Registration for three years |
$75
| |
TOTAL |
| $255 |
Additional costs may be required for veterinary checks/shots, additional team
screenings (if the team does not pass the first time), NCTD
gear, and NCTD "uniform".
Note that NCTD offers free team screenings
for active NCTD teams.
Question: Is financial assistance available to offset the costs of becoming a NCTD Volunteer?
Answer:
Yes. Financial Assistance is available via the "Gandalf
Fund". Individuals requesting assistance are to write a letter to the
NCTD Board of Directors for review when submitting training/screening forms.
Question: What is the NCTD "uniform"?
Answer (for handler):
While there is no official NCTD "uniform", we request that you be
dressed neatly but comfortably when you visit with your animal. Slacks or
nice jeans with a nice shirt and comfortable shoes are recommended. NCTD
also offers "NCTD gear" at cost. Wearing NCTD shirts provides a
quick means of identification, plus it gives the group a more professional
appearance.
Answer (for animal):
All dogs should wear a green harness and an NCTD
"Please Touch" tag.
Question: I work at a facility that may benefit from therapy dog visits.
How
can I get NCTD to work with my facility?
Answer:
Start by filling out an NCTD Facility Profile Form. This will allow us to get to know you and your facility. Once you fill this out, we will get in touch with you in a timely manner for follow-up.
Question: What are the requirements for NCTD teams to visit my facility?
Answer:
While there are no absolute requirements, things we look for in a
potential facility include:
- Location (Is the facility in an area convenient to NCTD
teams? Is the facility a safe place to visit?)
- Type of Population (Is this a type of population that may benefit
from AAA/AAT?)
- Staff Support (Will facility staff be working closely with NCTD
teams to ensure quality visits?)
- Cleanliness (Is the facility reasonably clean? Are there
pills/food on the ground for dogs to pick up?)
- Accessibility (Is there adequate parking? Can teams get
in/out easily? Is there an area for animals to relieve
themselves?)
- Schedule (Can visits be scheduled at a time when teams can make
it?)
- NCTD Team Availability (Are there enough teams interested in
visiting the facility to sign NCTD up?)
In general, we will conduct a preliminary over-the-phone survey and
may follow up with an on-site survey. Depending on the outcome of
these surveys, and after determining NCTD team availability, we may:
- Begin visiting immediately
- Visit for a "trial" period to see how well the visits
go.
- Say "no" initially, but plan to follow up after some
period of time. (This may happen if there are issues with the
facility that could be resolved after some time, or if a facility is
suitable but no teams are available.)
Question: Can I donate money to NCTD? Is my donation tax-deductible?
Answer:
Yes and Yes.
We do have fiscal obligations, so contributions
are appreciated to help offset our operating expenses. Donations to NCTD
are usually tax-deductible.
