Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Process To Incorporate A Therapy Service Dog In An Occupational Therapy Educational Program, Hanna Eickenbrock, Marlee Wheelhouse

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The purpose of the scholarly project is to incorporate a therapy/service dog within the occupational therapy department at the University of North Dakota (UND). The therapy/service dog will be utilized as a support system for student’s and faculty’s health and well-being and as an educational tool for enhancing student learning. The authors completed the process of implementation by progressing through the hierarchical process of UND gatekeepers. Through the development of a legality and safety protocol, loan agreement, and purpose proposal, the authors obtained official approval to implement a therapy/service dog in the UND Occupational Therapy program.