FOUR-FOOTED MINISTERS IN FORMATION
A Training Manual on Dog Ministry
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This work is based upon the protocols and procedures developed by Pet Partners®, Bellevue, Washington. Pet Partners® has national and international connections that could provide the promotion and marketing of this work. As the concept becomes more widely known, there are various professional organizations that may be interested in this model, such as the National Association of Catholic Chaplains, the Association of Professional Chaplains, and the National Association for Lay Ministry. Because this work is unique in the ministerial field of practice, this book fills a pressing need in an area of spiritual/pastoral care where chaplains are asked to do more with less, handling ever-increasing workloads. Because the Four-Footed Ministers Pastoral Care Program requires Pet Partners® registration and is an all-volunteer program, the burden of selection of appropriately trained, healthy volunteer dog-teams is made much easier. An additional plus is the fact that the volunteers are covered under the Pet Partners® general liability insurance policy when doing dog ministry.
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About the Book
This work provides chaplains/directors of spiritual/pastoral care with a template for the setup, implementation, and maintenance of a comprehensive, all-volunteer program for the integration of canine companions into the spiritual/pastoral care of patients/residents in healthcare facilities. Based on a qualitative research study conducted over a nine-month period, this self-directed manual introduces a program that is preliminarily “road-tested,” safe, effective, and repeatable. As the author continues to be involved in the Four-Footed Ministers Pastoral-Care Program, new insights and observations will be available to enhance and improve the original publication.
About the Author
Dr. Jerilyn E. Felton holds an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies and an M.A. in Applied Theology granted by Marylhurst University where she defined a model for “dog ministry.” At George Fox Evangelical Seminary, “dog ministry” became her dissertation project that consisted of a nine-month research study defining a comprehensive program for spiritual/pastoral care using dogs in ministry--the Four-Footed Ministers Pastoral Care Program.