Club seeking Matching Grant Partners for Animal Assisted Therapy Program at the Jerusalem Tisch family Biblical Zooogical Garden

ANIMAL ASSISTED THERAPY (aat)
for Children with Special Needs
The Jerusalem Tisch Family Biblical Zoological Garden

The Jerusalem Tisch Family Biblical Zoological Garden’s educational program has developed a therapy program using animals from its collection to assist children with special needs. The children have been diagnosed with autism, deafness, learning disabilities and other developmental challenges due to mental, behavioral or emotional problems. This is a cross ethnic project where Arab and Jewish children from secular and religious homes can participate.

The Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) program has several goals. One of the most important being relationship building that is achieved by working in small groups, led by a trusted person, a Zoo guide, who works consistently with a child. The children feel happy and secure knowing that the animals are waiting for them every week at the Zoo. Each child develops a sense of responsibility by taking care of the animal’s needs by feeding, petting and cleaning. This is the first time that the children are able to perform caring tasks for another being. The consistency of the activities helps build confidence in these insecure children. In forming a connection with an animal, the child’s concentration and self-discipline improves and helps to control many negative and potentially violent behaviors.

The Zoo activities provide experiences that are different from those occurring in the children’s everyday life. The children develop new skills that help support real world interactions that include non-threatening physical contact that may not always be expressed by their family. They also learn to care for others and this in turn builds self-confidence and even promotes the development of motor skills. The sessions with the animals provide the impetus for discussions about important life issues such as relationships, reproduction and caring for others. The fact that the children’s care can make a difference to the well being of the animals has a long lasting therapeutic effect. Over 50 groups participate in the program that provides emotional, physical and cognitive help to over 500 children annually.

The children are integrated into the general caretaking work that requires professional therapy staff to ensure the creation of a safe and friendly work environment. The work with the animals requires an agricultural type vehicle – for feeding, cleaning, transport and loading. The zoo intends to purchase a vehicle that is appropriate to the program, that is not "threatening" because of size and noise, is easy to operate and is child friendly. A specially modified small tractor is envisaged.

Budget
It is expensive to run the AAT program. The cost of the activity for each group is US$4000-$6000 annually. The framework requires working with small groups of 4-8 children conducted by professional therapists who are supported by keepers from the children's zoo who are all part of the regular Zoo staff. The financial contribution from each participant is kept low, as the children usually come from poorer socio-economic backgrounds. In some cases the Zoo even provides transportation.

The program costs are covered by the Zoo education budget supplemented by annual contributions from private donors. Because the program is recognized as successful in its objectives and beneficial to the children, there is a growing demand for participation.

The Jerusalem Zoo would like to raise the funds to buy a small modified tractor that meets the needs of the program, that the children could operate safely under supervision and that would be genuinely useful in the work of caring for the animals..

Total purchase price for this vehicle is currently estimated at US$20,000.