Public Service Programs

Azalea Dog Training Club was the first organization in New Hanover County to provide therapy visits to a five county area, to Nursing Homes, Rest Homes, Assisted Living and Treatment Centers, Adult Group Homes, and Special Needs Children.

Star News Correspondent, Chris Mudarri, covered our latest Therapy Dog class and did a wonderful job on her article!  Please click here to see Chris’ terrific article!  (and THANK YOU, Chris!)  http://adtc.us/site/wp-admin/post.php?post=1174&action=edit  (Please note as our latest class was made up of 11 wonderful Teams, (which translates to Kay needing to supervise a total of thirty three visits for the group (three one-on-one supervised visits),  ADTC’s next Therapy dog class and testing will take place next spring.)  Contact Kay Rodgers through the ADTC website at http://adtc.us/site/And for more info please click on this link to see more on our Therapy Dog activity!  Therapy Dog Archives

Kay Rodgers, and one of her four Havana Silk Dogs – pictured here with Quest, is ADTC’s most faithful Therapy Dog Team; visiting area Nursing Homes at least once a week every week year round! She is the contact and planner of ADTC visiting area Schools, where ADTC Teams demo dog training, tricks and dog safety, hoping to help children be more aware of how to approach and keep safe around dogs. Kay is our local area Evaluator for Therapy Dog, Inc, as well as a Canine Good Citizen Evaluator, which is the first step to a Therapy Dog!

Since the mid 70s, ADTC’s dedicated teams have brought smiles back to the faces of many who have very little to smile about!! For the past several years, ADTC teams, headed up by Kay Rodgers, have faithfully visited twice a week, every week, area facilities.  Medical professionals have now acknowledged what ADTC’s teams have known all along; that the interaction between our furry friends and people has a healing and comforting effect. Countless studies show the benefits of Pet Therapy visits.

Some examples are:     *Lowering of blood pressure     *Calming personalities and calming effect on all stressed individuals     *Reaching introverted patients suffering from depression     *Unlocking minds of stroke victims, Alzheimer patients, and brain injured patients     *Excellent Physical Therapists (many patients will play with a dog when they refuse other therapies)

ADTC periodically does testing for Certification for Therapy Dog, Inc., to enable new teams to join us in the ranks of smile givers!

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School and Safety Programs    In 1987, ADTC embraced educating children and adults about dogs, in a five county area, including Camp Lejune, the Wilmington Police Department, Boy and Girl Scout Troops, Cub Scout Packs and Brownie Packs.  Since 1989, we have held copywrite on our own Coloring Book, designed and created by Nancy Parrott and the late Gretchen Bannon. This Coloring Book, on Dog Safety, is distributed to the children we visit.

ADTC purchased and donated a set of tapes produced by the American Kennel Club regarding “all things dog”, to the Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender Counties Libraries and each county’s Board of Education Instructional Supplies and Textbooks, and to UNCW School of Education (Elementary level) Department. These tapes include dog care, in age related format how dogs aid mankind, incorporate Math, Composition and Literature for teachers use. As an example; Camp Lejune Elementary School collects cans of dog food for the Base Animal Control and before sending their donation to the facility, they use the cans for counting, weighing and other math problems. The children also write an essay on their favorite breed of dog and must read and make a book report at least one book that is dog related in preparation for ADTC’s visit.

A typical visit varies from 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the age of the children. The demos are geared to the age of the kids. School representatives get release forms signed so that the students can have hands on interaction with the dogs. Many aspects of dogs and their relationships with man are covered, including the following:

*Care of dogs     *Breeds/History/Geography of dogs     *The ways dogs help man     *Humans proper behavior around dogs  *How to survive a dog attack     *Petting sessions    

ADTC is proud to have hosted the Wilmington Police Department’s Summer Day Camp many times in the last several years. On three separate days, the participants are brought to ADTCs facility by the Police Counselors for a fun-filled instructive morning.

If anyone is interested in having Azalea Dog Training Club’s Team of Educators visit, please contact:
Kay Rodgers 910 270 9203 or Nancy Parrott 910 686 4298 or click on the Navigation Bar on our Home Page and email us!

This is a free of charge public service ADTC provides, though donations are welcomed to cover the cost of our Coloring Books. When a donation is given to provide additional Coloring Books, the sponsorsname is printed on future copies of the books and acknowledged in our newsletter and website.