National Organization for

Animal Assisted Crisis Response

Man's best friend helping Man

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Our Mission:

To assist in the safe and effective emotional rescue, recovery, and ongoing support to individuals and responders who have been affected by crisis or disaster.

 

Tikva with fireman at Rockland County Fire Training Center, Rockland County, NY

Photo courtesy of  Barry Rosen NY

Cindy Ehlers, Founder and President of National AACR, and Tikva at the World Trade Center in September 2001

Photo courtesy of  Josiah Whithaker

Short and simple, what we do:

 

We select potential teams who are active therapy dog teams, who have the required prerequisites, and who display ...

 

We hold annual training workshops across the country, teaching behavioral mental health, creating mock crisis situations, and exposing the teams to various distractions and stressful situation that they may be exposed to.

 

We evaluate and certify teams at three levels, based on…

 

We require and participate in continuing education, including FEMA, NIMS, First Aid, CISM, ….

 

We respond to deployment requests, ...

 
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“...Whether natural or human-made, the extreme and over-whelming forces of disaster have far-reaching effects on individual, local community and national stability. Mental health is an essential component in this response to disaster. Therapy dogs have been used for years in hospitals and nursing homes to comfort the ill or distressed, they have never before been put to use on such a large scale as in the World Trade Tower disaster of Sept 11, 2001".  —Hudson Valley Animal Assisted Crisis Response Coalition