Therapy Dogs Nationwide hold public liability insurance with an indemnity limit of £10m. This is to protect against any incident that occurs, either by volunteer or dog, in an establishment as a result of a TDN visit. It does not cover any resultant medical claim in relation to the dog or volunteer. Any medical claim …
Sadly no. We get many requests of this nature, particularly at the beginning of a new school term. Unfortunately, due to insurance restrictions, we are unable to permit volunteers to use their dog in the course of their employment. You would therefore not be able to use your own dog during the course of your …
As a teacher (or health care professional) can I take my dog to work with me? Read More »
Many new volunteers are keen to visits schools with their dogs. Whilst we positively encourage this, we ask that all new volunteers gain a minimum of 3 months regular visiting at another establishment prior to enrolling on the Paws & Read programme. It is important to see how a dog and volunteer settle into a …
Can I join the Paws & Read programme straight away? Read More »
Not at all. In many cases you will be put in contact with a local Area Team Leader (ATL) or Regional Mentor (RM) who will answer any questions and give you tips and tricks. Many ATLs or RMs will try and accompany you on your first visit, introduce you to the establishment contacts and help …
There is no set time for a visit as all situations are different. Some people visit for an hour, others for several hours. Please ensure that the establishment are aware of how much time you can offer. If visiting schools for Paws and Read, please take the Kennel Club’s Bark & Read standards of practice …
When you become a volunteer, you may have an idea of the sort of establishment you would like to visit in which case we are happy for you to contact them directly. If you need help or ideas, you can contact our Placement Officer who often has a list of establishments waiting for a visiting …
This is entirely up to you. If you are only able to offer one afternoon a month, that is fine. Some people visit weekly or twice weekly, again this is fine. All we say is, if you say you will visit every week, please don’t then visit once a month. People really look forward to …
Therapy Dogs are associated with a vast range of establishments. More commonly seen in schools or residential homes, we also visit hospitals, hospices and prisons. We are increasingly being asked to visit large corporations as part of their Staff Well-being Programmes to reduce stress in the workplace. You may be contacted by our Placement Officer …
Some establishments ask for a DBS for any one that visits them. You do not need to inform the TDN office as the establishments will have the facility to do this for you and you should not be charged.
