Therapy and Emotional Support Animal Program

GRA's Therapy Rabbit Program

Here at Great River Angoras, We know the benefits of therapy animals. While most animals that work as therapy animals are dogs, almost any species can be a therapy animal. In our experience, English Angoras can make wonderful therapy animals due to their naturally calm demeanors, their super cute looks, and their very soft hair. Therapy rabbits are rabbits that are registered with an offical Therapy Animal Program that go to schools, hospitals, nursing homes, libraries, and sometimes other places as well. Therapy Rabbits help lift up peoples moods and bring a smile to their face. They have to go through some training and they have to enjoy the job, so this isnt for every bunny. But here at Great River Angoras, we strive to find the best bunnies for this and get them into programs whenever possible, wether that is with their new owners, or our own personal rabbits.

GRA's Angoras For Autism Prgram

Autism is something we are very familiar with here at Great River Angoras. I, Hailey, owner of Great River Angoras, have Autism, and know the challengens that come with it. Our helper Tamara works as the Special Education Teacher at the local high school, and works with a lot of very low functioning Autistic children. So, we have a solid understanding of the challenges children and adults go through with Autism on a daily basis. I used to have rabbits with me while I did homework, or watched tv, or really any time I got the chance, really. Rabbits have a unique ability to sooth people. I had english angoras as Emotional Support Animals through high school and collage. That was what got me into the breed in the first place. English Angoras have the best temperment of all the rabbit breeds to be emotional support animals for people with Autism. They are far more relaxed and calm, not as hyper, and overall more easygoing than most breeds. There are so many benefits to having an ESA as someone with Autism. From decreasing cortosol leves and blood pressure, to giving some sense of responsibility, ESA's can really make a difference.

As someone who fully understands the challenges of having Autism, or being a family member, caretaker, parent, or friend of someone with Autism, and as someone who understands the benefits of having an ESA rabbit to help, We have started a program to help get people who are trying to find a rabbit to be an ESA. Speciffically English Angoras as ESA's for People with Autism.

This program will provide a rabbit that has the right temperment to a person with Autsim, free of charge. We will also teach that person how to properly take care of their new rabbit, and provide lifetime support to that individual. Our goal is to be able to Donate a rabbit to an inividula with autism or a family with autistic children at least four times a year. As long as we have Applications in, and rabbits that fit the need of aplicants, we hope to be able to up to a bunny per litter.

For any questions regarding either of these programs, please feel free to reach out to Great River Angoras though Facebook or Email.

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