Hi Sharon, we ask our Care Dog Volunteers (We don't use the word therapy) to complete all our recruitment procedures. Weve not had a problem so far. More than happy to have a chat about this with you.

joanna.rapson@nottshc.nhs.uk

Hello there Sharon,

We have Pets As Therapy dogs that come to our charity and we treat them the same as our other volunteers but they also not only have to go through our recruitment process, they have to got through Pets As Therapy processes. We have vulnerable patients so we have to make sure everyone is vetted so it gives us that extra assurance health and safety wise.

Hope this helps in how to go about it all.

We also enrol PAT registered dogs and their owner as volunteers, as they will be around vulnerable people. DBS etc. We have never had any challenges, and they expect to have to do it. We do give the animals their own ID badge too, which the patients and staff think is a lovely touch!

Hi, our Pets as Therapy volunteers are treated the same as all our volunteers and go through all the same recruitment checks and induction training. I was told by Pets as Therapy that they inform all their volunteers that they must go through any local organisation volunteer processes that are expected as a volunteer - in addition to what they are required to do for Pets as Therapy. I hope that helps.