Luckdragon's Angels therapy pets and their handlers are trained to work in medical facilities safely and without impeding patient care. Visits from our teams are positive ones for our client patients, residents and staff alike.

We do not do basic obedience training. Every pet that we evaluate must provide proof of passing the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen test or Delta Society's therapy pet testing. These tests demonstrate to us that the pet has "public manners"; that the owner can control their pet; and that the handler is willing to conform to these standards of training prior to our own Luckdragon's Angels' evaluations.

Photo by Martin Roots

Therapy dog Pukak delights both patients and staff alike

All Luckdragon's Angels therapy pets must provide proof of rabies inoculation as mandated by NH law, as well as a signed health certificate from their primary care veterinarians stating that these animals are healthy enough to do this work. The health certificate must also attest that the pet is free of communicable diseases and internal and external pests such as fleas, ticks and worms.

Therapy pets must also be spotlessly clean before all visits. Professional grooming is not required, but we request that therapy pets be bathed prior to each visit. Doing so not only presents more attractive animals for our clients to interact with, but also reduces the amount of pet dander that many people are allergic to.

For a comprehensive look at what this rewarding work entails, we recommend an outstanding book: Therapy Dogs - Training Your Dog to Reach Others, 2nd Edition by Kathy Diamond Davis.

Visit these links for more information about the AKC's Canine Good Citizen program and Delta Society testing.