ANT offers two major programs: (1) equine-assisted therapeutic sessions at our farm for
youth and veterans and (2) on-site sessions with farm animals through our Mobile ANT
program, including:
Mobile ANT for Schools: ANT conducts preventative and responsive mental health visits to
local schools with our animals to provide comfort and stress relief, promote social and
emotional learning, reduce bullying, and combat suicidal ideation through low-barrier “fuzz therapy.” Mobile ANT was recently incorporated into the Bellingham School District’s Crisis Response Team and will be on stand-by to support youth and staff after trauma. ANT’s animals may be used during official debriefs and/or to provide general comfort and anxiety relief.
Mobile ANT for Seniors: The mobile program is intergenerational and community-centered. Youth and adult volunteers bring animals to visit seniors in care facilities around Whatcom County, building friendships and bringing comfort. Physiologically, petting animals supports relaxation by releasing serotonin, lowering the heart rate, and inhibiting the production of cortisol.
We have occasionally had opportunities to support hospice patients through our Mobile ANT program. It has become clear that this is a meaningful service we can provide for hospice patients and families, and one that our staff, volunteers, and animals want to do more of.
In the Fall of 2024, we launched Rainbow Bridge: a mobile ANT program focused specifically on providing animal-assisted care and support to hospice patients, bereaved families, and hospice staff. Establishing Rainbow Bridge as a separate program will allow us to train volunteers specifically in the tender and often difficult art of supporting dying patients and grieving families. We are delighted to be partnering with Whatcom Hospice to establish this program supporting their patients, families, and staff.
Because end-of-life care is often expensive and full of unexpected costs and difficult
decisions, our goal is to provide Rainbow Bridge visits free of cost to hospice patients and
bereaved families. The budget to fully fund this program for one year is $10,000, which will cover the following estimated costs:
- 25 Hospice House patient visits: $4750
- 6 home/facility hospice patient visits: $1125
- 2 Hospice House staff support visits: $500
- 4 bereavement days at the farm: $2000
- 1 week of support at Camp Kaleidoscope: $1000
- Volunteer and staff training: $600
- Marketing costs: $25
