QUINCY
Quincy was born in 2015 of an award-winning show-dog bloodline and hails from Mechanicsville, Iowa. He is an English Black Labrador Retriever. Unlike other Labs, he is very calm and loves to spend time with people. Quincy was one of the first dogs to be certified with a perfect score at such a young age (12 months) for complex environment therapy sessions. Winning gold medals in all three of his obedience classes, he also received the AKC good citizen award. Quincy has received many accolades for his work with Veterans, Seniors, Boy and Girl Scouts and has been written up in many publications including Bemidji Animal/ Human Research, Cancer Treatment Centers of America Hope, Joy, Pride and Pet Partners Therapy Dog of the Month. Quincy works with Pet Partners, a non-profit organization. Outside of work, he enjoys swimming and spending time with his family including his “brother” Chester, an American Chocolate Labrador Retriever.
If you would like to schedule time with Quincy in either a Group or one on one environment, please “Bark at Us” above or connect with us below.
Pet Therapy
Pet Partners was formed based on the knowledge and research that proves that the human-animal bond is a mutually beneficial and dynamic relationship between people and dogs that positively influences the health and well-being of both. The research that supports the field of animal-assisted interventions (AAI) continues to grow and the resulting evidence applies to various settings in which our therapy animal teams volunteer. Petting a dog releases Oxytoxins, also know as the “Cuddle Hormone” in both the client and the dog. Quincy is excited each time his vest comes out and loves working with groups and individuals.
FEMA - Animal Assisted Crisis Response Team
AACR is a form of animal-assisted activities (AAA) that provides comfort to those who have been affected by natural, human-caused, or technological disasters. AACR is effective because the safety, familiarity, novelty, and interest in the animal have been found to be impactful when building rapport with a person affected by crisis.
AACR is not a professional mental health intervention. Pet Partners AACR handlers must complete online training which includes psychological first aid concepts, sometimes also referred to as mental health first aid and FEMA First Responder training. This training has been designed with input from subject matter experts in the field.
AACR does not take the place of professional interventions, but provides support in the immediate wake of a crisis through listening, empathy, and sharing the unconditional love of a therapy animal. AACR can be effective for everyone affected by the impact of a crisis, including first responders and crisis management staff.
AAI - Animal Assisted Interventions
Animal-assisted interventions are goal oriented and structured interventions that intentionally incorporate animals in health, education and human service for the purpose of therapeutic gains and improved health and wellness. Quincy focuses his time with Autistic Children and other kids who have dog fears and phobias. These are usually two sessions and initially focuses on identifying the root cause of the concern and discussing with Quincy present (in a down-stay position). The second session reviews the concerns and begins to work Quincy into the session, with the end result of walking Quincy, playing with him and understanding not all dogs are the same. Most importantly is understanding that not all dogs are like Quincy and to always ask before petting any animal. To date Quincy has had a 100% success rate!
Read with Me
Reading to pets is an amazing way to get children excited about reading when they can’t be in school. Children who are learning to read are often hesitant about their reading abilities. Many kids feel more at ease reading to pets, who are simply there to listen -- not to judge how well they are reading. Reading to an animal can significantly impact student reading rates. Research shows that when reading to pets, children achieve higher end-of-year reading scores, and improve reading rates, accuracy, fluency, and comprehension. They also are better able to stay on task when a furry companion is involved. Quincy loves to be read to and even has his own library!
Walk with Me
Quincy is committed to improving human health and well-being through the human-animal bond, and this includes finding new ways to bring the effects of therapy animals to people who can benefit. Walk With Me is a special initiative within the Pet Partners Therapy Animal Program for teams who would like to support their community by inviting others to go walking with their registered therapy animal. Read on to find out how Walk With Me can help promote physical and mental well-being in your area.
The Wonders of Walking
The Walk With Me initiative was developed in response to the Surgeon General’s Call to Action about walking for better health. We felt that this was a low cost, easily accessible animal-assisted activity that would promote the health of communities. We know that walking is good for us; health benefits of walking regularly include increased cardiovascular fitness, reduced risk of heart disease and stroke, stronger bones, and increased muscle strength. Adding a therapy animal to the mix is also supported by research.
Here are just a few of the “heeling” benefits of walking with animals:
· Decreased weight and body mass index
· Decreased limitations in functional activities of daily living
· Fewer chronic health conditions
· Fewer visits to the doctor
· Decreased loneliness
· Increased energy levels
· Decreased levels of cortisol, the hormone that causes stress
· Increased social interaction
· Increase in motivation for overall physical activity
Certifications
Pet Partner Team (Complex Environments)
As the handler, Tim must be Quincy’s advocate during his sessions. Identifying his posture, behavior and physical for any signs of fear or distress. As the Dog, Quincy goes through his Trails bi-annually to ensure he is able to perform his duties without fail. To date, Quincy has scored over 100% on all his trials and was the first dog in Illinois to be certified at 366 days old with a more than perfect score. Quincy truly loves “working” and looks forward to putting on his vest.
AACR (FEMA)
In an emergency situation, Tim and Quincy have been fitted out with equipment and training from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency. Additionally, we have been trained and certified to manage School Shootings, Hurricane Safety, Wildfires and major acts of god. Tim and Quincy use compassion and Quincy’s special skills to support the survivors and help them along the process of healing
Clients with Alzheimer’s/ Dementia
While a sad situation for all involved, Alzheimer’s is a horrible disease to have to deal with as either the patient or the family. Quincy and Tim have been trained on how to listen and better understand the needs of the patient and family. Additionally, over time, identifying the changes to the patient and understanding how to react to best provide the socialism and companionship these patients may or may nor crave. Quincy and Tim have to also Judge the patients acceptance of this type of therapy.
The healing Power of Animals and how to harness that power
This certification focused on the benefit of pets in the medical world actually dates back more than 150 years, says Aubrey Fine a clinical psychologist and professor at California State Polytechnic University. Studies dating back to three decades ago found that just petting one's own dog can lower blood pressure; and more recently, studies have been focusing on the link between interacting with animals and the release of the hormone oxytocin which has powerful effects on the body's predisposition to heal and to grow new cells.
Infection Prevention and Control
The training in this course helps Tim understand how to promote safe therapy animal visits through increased awareness of infection prevention and control. This certification was designed to meet the requirements as published in 2015 by The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), this course covers zoonotic diseases as well as training on standard precautions including hand hygiene and self-screening for human symptoms. This Certification has been reviewed by members of SHEA, the CDC and leading veterinarians, the content is appropriate for all therapy animal handlers, both new and existing, as well a facility staff and volunteer coordinators.
Veterans
Veterans are often overlooked and usually receive the same treatment as everyone else. These folks are special and may have long term affects from their work of protecting our freedom. Quincy and Tim have been trained on how to help and understand veterans and have been very successful. It takes a lot of listening and a calm Quincy to really make these visits work well
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