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UT Program Receives Grant for Animal Therapy Program

 

KNOXVILLE A local animal therapy program has received a $2,000 grant to assist troubled teens and unwanted dogs. HALT-Humans and Animal Learning Together, a program supported in part by the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, received the grant from Banfield Charitable Trust.

                                    

HALT links shelter dogs with student trainers from residential centers in treatment for substance abuse, behavioral or other problems. Student trainers work with the dogs during supervised dog obedience sessions for four weeks. The dogs are then found suitable homes. The grant will be used to develop educational and marketing materials for HALT, a non-profit 501 (c) (3), started in 1987 by Beth Code, a community volunteer, and Dr. John New, now head of the veterinary colleges Department of Comparative Medicine. The UT College of Veterinary Medicine provides web space, brochure printing, a display and other in-kind contributions to support the program.

 

HALT has graduated hundreds of dogs that have received basic obedience training and been adopted by people in the community. In return, the dogs have offered their young trainers more understanding of themselves, how to commit to a task, how a dogs behavior sometimes mirrors their own and how the unconditional love of a dog can help troubled youngsters cope with their problems. The program is administered by area volunteers. Dr. John Shaw, a UT veterinary graduate, provides veterinary care for the dogs in each class. Dogs are selected from the Young-Williams Animal Center and the Oak Ridge Animal Shelter. Catatoga Kennel, a Farragut-based facility where classes are conducted, also provides the housing of the HALT dogs. 

 

The grant was one of 16 awarded throughout the U.S. Banfield Charitable Trust is a public charity of Banfield Pet Hospitals. Click here for more information about HALT or call 865/974-5869.

 

 

Posted: 03-30-09 Viewed: 1167 times