Animal Assisted Activities and Animal Assisted Therapy at BF Kitchen Elementary

FAQ for Parents and Guardians of students at BF Kitchen Elementary

Who is the dog at my child’s school?

Copper is a golden retriever dog, certified to work in an elementary school. He usually works at BFK 2 or 3 times a week. When he is not at school, he lives with our school counselor, Jen VonLintel.

What does Copper do at school?

Copper has many different jobs at BFK. He enjoys Animal Assisted Activities such as crossing guard duty and recess duty. He also works with Mrs. VonLintel as a therapy dog. He helps several kids reach goals related to self-esteem, emotional regulation, friendship, or attention issues among many others. One of his new jobs is as a Reading Education Assistance Dog. He helps kids with reading goals such as fluency and comprehension.

I’m worried about allergies. Is that being considered?

Mrs. VonLintel coordinates with our health aide so she is aware of students who have allergies. Before Copper comes into the school, he is cleaned to significantly reduce any dander. One of Mrs. VonLintel’s protocols is that students wash their hands before and after working with Copper.

My child is afraid of dogs. What should I do?

Please let Mrs. VonLintel know if your child has an aversion to dogs. There are several rules that Copper and Mrs. VonLintel follow at school to ensure that all our students and staff feel safe. That is a primary focus of this program.

What is Copper’s training?

Copper has had over 18 months of training to pass his certification tests for an elementary school facility dog and as a therapy dog. He continues to attend his “dog” classes to ensure his skills and behavior is kept at the highest levels. He works through Canine Community Heroes in Greeley. He had both therapy dogs and service dogs in his classes.

He is certified as both a facility dog and a therapy dog through K9to5 National Therapy Dog Registry.

I think my child would benefit from working with Copper and Mrs. VonLintel. How do I sign them up for this program?

Please contact Mrs. VonLintel if you are interested in learning more about these programs and how they may help your child. She can be reached at 970 613-5523 or by email

ADDITIONAL FAQ FOR SCHOOL PERSONNEL / ADMINISTRATION

What insurance is covering this program?

Mrs. VonLintel has purchased Professional Liability insurance through HPSO for $1, 000,000 each claim and $5,000,000 aggregate. She is also covered under Penn-Star Insurance Company and American Casualty Co of Reading, PA through the K9to5 National Therapy Dog Registry for an additional $3,000,000 each occurrence and $6,000,000 aggregate.

Exactly what training and certification has Copper been provided?

Copper has completed the following training programs and certification testing.

· AKC STAR Puppy Class and Testing

· Basic Obedience Class

· RALLY Class

· Canine Good Citizen Training Program

· Certification passing the Canine Good Citizen Test

· Canine Physical Therapy Fitness Screen

· Pre-Admission Screening for Temperament

· Therapy Dog Introduction Class

· Advanced Skills Training Program

· Internship including two supervised visits

· Therapy Dog Certification Test

· Elementary School Facility Dog Test

· Annual Certification Testing

· Teamwork for Therapy Dogs Class (current ongoing enrollment)

How do I know Copper is healthy? Has zoonotic disease concerns been addressed?

Copper holds a current Canine Health Certificate through the Loveland Vet Clinic. This documents that he is up to date on all shots and fecal testing. Mrs. VonLintel follows the Delta Society protocols to address infection control and zoonotic disease concerns.

What background does Mrs. VonLintel have to use this modality with our students?

Mrs. VonLintel was involved in the research project through HABIC and CSU. She initiated having students at BFK involved in the study both in the control group and working with a team from HABIC.

Mrs. VonLintel also volunteers at Hearts and Horses. She applies the research-based therapies to her program at BFK. She works with mentally and physically disabled youth and at-risk kids.

Mrs. VonLintel has also taken several courses through Animal Assisted Therapies of Colorado to include:

· Introduction to Working with Animals in a Professional Setting

· Integrating Dogs Into a Professional Setting

· Working with Children with the Assistance of Animals in Your Professional Practice

· Integrating Animal Assisted Therapy into Traditional Counseling Theories

She is also enrolled in the Graduate School of Social Work at Denver University. She is completing her coursework in the Human-Animal Bond in November 2012.