CANINE ASSISTED THERAPY, INC.
OAKLAND PARK, FLORIDA

And so it was for Dillon Berger and Chance Jurgle, cofounding therapy dogs – along with their handlers Debra Berger and Joanne Jurgle – of Canine Assisted Therapy, Inc. Canine Assisted Therapy, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in August 2009 to provide canine companionship for those in hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and hospice organizations. With 120 therapy teams, C.A.T.’s dedicated and passionate volunteers now serve more than 60 facilities annually, primarily throughout South Florida. We Are Different Are governed by board of directors including area business and community leaders, including a local veterinarian. Charge an annual membership fee that covers the cost of C.A.T.’s $1 million general liability policy and a C.A.T.-branded t-shirt and bandana for the therapy team. Since C.A.T. is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization funded by charitable donations and grants, requiring this membership fee helps ensure volunteers are serious and committed to fulfilling their responsibilities. Provide ongoing support to volunteer therapy teams, from orientation to assessment, evaluation, certification, mentoring, facility placement, and day-to-day assistance and reassessment. This becomes especially important as therapy dogs age and handlers are faced with a decision about continuing therapy or retiring. Ask participating facilities to provide feedback on C.A.T.’s performance to help assure the quality of services provided. Hi! My name is Georgia and I am a Canine Assisted Therapy Dog, a.k.a. C.A.T. Dog. My human sister Sarah Berger Flowers created me by drawing me on a sketch pad. I was named after a wonderful woman named Georgia Imhoff. My moms, Debra Berger and Joanne Jurgle, who are the cofounders of C.A.T., tell me they named me Georgia because of what she stood for and meant to everyone. They want me to be... Our Mission Canine Assisted Therapy’s vision is to be recognized as the premier pet therapy organization by developing and utilizing the highest standards possible, educating the public about the benefits of animal assisted therapy and animal assisted activities, and providing continued support to its volunteers and facilities. Canine Assisted Therapy, Inc., was founded in 2009 by Debra Berger and Joanne Jurgle with the goal of becoming the leading pet therapy organization nationally. Both Ms. Berger and Ms. Jurgle had provided animal assisted therapy prior to founding C.A.T., but soon realized there was an opportunity to improve the safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of pet therapy services in South Florida. Determined they could offer a “better product,” Ms. Berger and Ms. Jurgle developed the highest evaluation and certification standards in the nation for volunteer pet therapy. In less than five years, C.A.T. grew from a home office and two therapy teams (Debra and Dillon, her 150-pound Leonberger, and Joanne and Chance, her loving Golden Retriever) to a 2,000 square foot office in Oakland Park, with 120 certified therapy teams providing services to more than 60 facilities, primarily in South Florida. Dillon has since Crossed the Rainbow Bridge but his legacy lives on in the CAT organization. “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” [Confucius] And so it was for Dillon Berger and Chance Jurgle, cofounding therapy dogs – along with their handlers Debra Berger and Joanne Jurgle – of Canine Assisted Therapy, Inc. While Dillon has crossed the Rainbow Bridge and Chance is retired now, Dillon and Chance were there at the beginning, as friends and... Canine Assisted Therapy, Inc., has certified more than 250 therapy teams since its founding in August 2009 in Oakland Park, FL C.A.T. Dogs Dillon Berger, a 155-pound Leonberger, (crossed rainbow bridge January 2016) and Chance Jurgle, a loving and playful Golden Retriever, are proud of the pet therapy organization they helped found in 2009 and are enjoying their retirement years in sunny South Florida The American Kennel Club currently recognizes 129 pet therapy organizations nationally, including Canine Assisted Therapy, Inc., based in Oakland Park, FL. Pet therapy organizations provide educational material to volunteers, they screen both volunteers and dogs, and they provide liability insurance for therapy teams volunteering in community settings. Dogs certified by registration/certification... This is completely dependent on the specific therapy team and there are no known national averages. We have C.A.T.-certified therapy dogs that have been volunteering in the community since our founding in 2009. As your dog ages, he/she may begin to exhibit signs he is no longer enjoying therapy work, at which time C.A.T. staff will help you determine if your dog is ready to retire. Since 2009 Canine Assisted Therapy has approved more than 150 facilities for therapy team visits throughout South Florida, including Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties. We also have therapy teams visiting facilities in other parts of the country. . We will contact you within one week of your request to confirm receipt. Our ability to fulfill your request depends on the interest and availability of our volunteers. While we do our best to fulfill requests, unfortunately we cannot provide a time frame or guarantee placement. And so it was for Dillon Berger and Chance Jurgle, cofounding therapy dogs – along with their handlers Debra Berger and Joanne Jurgle – of Canine Assisted Therapy, Inc.