Prescreen Evaluation (Ratification Step #3)

Prescreen is a day-long event that asks prospective volunteers to demonstrate their companion animal's aptitude for pet therapy activities through a series of obedience and temperament scenarios.  

This event costs $70 per team, or $50 for teams where the handler is age 65+ or the handler has previously been ratified with PeTS. Humans will be required to wear face masks while inside the PeTS center.

Teams with dogs will be asked to perform the obedience and temperament scenarios, while teams with cats will only be asked to perform the temperament scenarios.

Agenda:

• 9:15am to 10:15am - The first group of teams (max. 4 teams) takes turns performing the obedience scenarios. 
• 10:15am to 11am - Obedience evaluators reach consensus on which teams from group 1 have satisfied the obedience requirements and are eligible to perform the temperament evaluations.  Evaluators will text or email eligible teams with an assigned afternoon time slot (15-min duration between 1 and 3pm).  
• 11am to 12pm - The second group of teams (max. 4 teams) takes turns performing the obedience scenarios. 
• 12pm to 1pm - Obedience evaluators reach consensus on which teams from group 2 have satisfied the obedience requirements and are eligible to perform the temperament evaluations.  Evaluators will text or email eligible teams with an assigned afternoon time slot (15-min duration between 1 and 3pm).  
• 1pm to 3pm - Teams individually perform the temperament scenarios.

Things to Know Ahead of the Event:

1. Prospective participants must attend a Volunteer Information Session or take the PeTS 101 online qualification quiz before registering for a Prescreen event.
2. Prospective participants must have a valid PeTS membership, which costs $30/year.
3. The prospective participant's companion dog or cat must be at least 24 months of age at the time of the Prescreen event to be evaluated. We believe it is unfair to evaluate pets that may not have yet reached adult maturity.  
4. Prospective participants must email a completed Handler & Animal Profile and a copy the animal's current vaccinations or recent titer testing results to info@pettherapysociety.com.
5. Prescreen start times will assigned approximately 5 days before the event, provided the event fee has been paid in full and all event prerequisites have been met.

Things to Know at the Event:

1. Animals must be clean & well-groomed; nails are short and smooth to the touch.
2. Dogs must wear a flat collar with a quick release buckle.  If medically or physically necessary, a back-clipping harness is acceptable for dogs. Cat must wear a quick release, back-clipping harness and be transported inside a crate.  Choke chains, prong or spiked collars, martingales, head-haltis, and face muzzles are not permitted at the event.
3. Animals must be on leash, with the leash no longer than 6 feet, and held by the handler at all times while on PeTS premises. Retractable, bungee, and hands-free leashes may not be used.  
4. Cats are to be transported into and out of the center in a pet carrier out of an abundance of caution for their safety.  
5. The handler is expected to be in control of their leashed animal and to keep a 6 foot distance between their animal and other teams while on PeTS premises.  
6. If there are safety concerns, a team could be asked to leave the premises prior to completing the evaluation.  Animals that display aggressive behavior towards other animals or people (such as lunging, snarling, snapping, or biting) will not be eligible to continue in the ratification process.  
7. Dog teams that successfully complete the obedience portion will be invited back for the temperament portion in the afternoon. 
8. After the Prescreen event, participants will receive a written report summarizing the evaluators’ feedback within a couple days. 
9. Teams that have successfully completed the temperament portion will be eligible to register for a PEP Weekend event.