Therapy Dogs and Visiting Pets
DogPlay: Web Site Links to Visiting Pet, AAT and AAA Volunteer GroupsThese are groups that offer some variety of program taking dogs and other pets into hospitals, convalescent homes, residential care facilities, and more. Some do their own visit testing, others require registration by one of the national organizations.For a list of national organizations that do testing and registrations see the "Find a Group to Join" page. If the group is strictly local and does its own testing then ordinarily visits are authorized only under the umbrella of that group. That means that the facility must have some kind of agreement with the group to accept its volunteers. If you have a facility that you want to visit find out the policy of the local organization, or seek testing and registration from one of the national organizations .
Most of these organizations are strictly volunteer and most have very limited budgets. Please keep this in mind when contacting them asking for information. If what you need is general information then check either the resources page, or the books and videos page.
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Based in Birmingham, Alabama this organization's services and programs focus on children and youth. Hand-in-Paw certifies pets under the guidelines established by Delta Society. Volunteers can be certified in either animal assisted activities or the more formal animal assisted therapy.
Therapy Partners, Inc.T operates in the Huntsville, Alabama, area Active therapy teams composed of a handler and a certified therapy dog or therapy cat, visit are variety of facilities and schools. Therapy Partner teams are registered with Delta Society Pet Partners.
Based in Mesa, Arizona, this group has over 85 Certified Pet Therapy Teams that regularly visit valley shelters and preschools that help children from crisis situations.
Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, this group of 120 volunteer-pet teams visits health care centers in Scottsdale -- nursing homes, adult day care centers, rehabilitation hospitals, a cancer center, classes for developmentally challenged children, and the homebound. It also provides pet safety talks to children in Scottsdale's elementary schools.
This Scottsdale, Arizona based organization offers Social/Pet Therapy Animal Programs visiting elderly, sick, and disabled people in hospitals, nursing homes and other care facilities.
Flagstaff Medical Center offers an inpatient animal assisted-activity program.
This team is active the Flagstaff Arizona area performing in parades and similar community events as part of their pet therapy activities.
Serving the Prescott, Prescott Valley and Chino Valley areas in Arizona.
Based in Piedmont, California, this organization covers much of the East San Francisco Bay Area. Pets of all kinds can be temperament and health tested for visits to a variety of residential care facilities and hospitals.
This Huntington Beach, California organization offers a variety of volunteer opportunities including pet assisted therapy.
The teams visit hospitals, assisted living facilities and children's schools in Southern California.
The Ohlone Humane Society in Fremont, California, offers a variety of volunteer opportunities including their pet visitation program, "Hug a Pet".
Based in Redding this group has developed and conducted numerous workshops for Pet Partner certification, and implements a continuous mentoring program for beginning Pet Partner teams in Northern California. Covers facilities in Tehama, Shasta, and Humboldt Counties in California.
This San Diego, California, program shares animals with people of all ages in facilities such as convalescent homes, hospitals, mental health centers, abused children's homes and juvenile detention centers. Volunteers bring warmth and love to people who aren't able to experience the joys of pet ownership.
Based in Lancaster, California Pet Pals is just one activity of the High Desert Obedience Club.
Providing a variety of visiting opportunities in the Los Angeles, California area this group does its own certification.
This program from the Marin Humane Society (California) has expanded beyond animal assisted therapy and also helps seniors and people with AIDS who still live at home with their animal companions.
Based in Napa, California, Dogs and handlers are screened, evaluated, and trained. After successfully fulfilling the Paws for Healing requirements, they become a certified canine assisted therapy team and are then assigned to an established program in one of the participating Napa Valley-area health care facilities. A regular newsletter covers topics of general interest to volunteers, continuing education and emerging issues.
Based in the Rancho Palos Verdes, California area this group has provided animal-assisted therapy programs for the Los Angeles Unified School District Department of Special Education, Children's Hospital Los Angeles and Shriners Children's Hospital.
TherapyPets facilitates animal-assisted therapy operates in the greater San Francisco-Oakland Bay Area. TherapyPets has set guidelines for evaluation, registration, and visiting etiquette for dogs. TherapyPet Volunteer Teams may visit facilities on their own schedule or with other TherapyPet volunteer teams.
This Palm Springs, California organization covers most to the Coachella Valley. Volunteers visit convalescent homes, senior centers, day care centers, Alzheimer's facilities and anywhere a senior might benefit from a loving visit with a dog or cat.
This Sacramento, California organization provides Animal Assisted Therapy to a variety of local facilities. As is common in local organizations teams visit as a group and are not certified to go out on their own.
Based in San Diego, California the program is designed to share animals with people of all ages in facilities such as convalescent homes, hospitals, mental health centers, abused children's homes and juvenile detention centers
The SF SPCA volunteers take SF SPCA Program animals or their own pets on the visits: dogs, guinea pigs, rabbits - even cats. These AAT visits of this San Francisco, California, organization provide services to clients in hospitals, nursing homes, psychiatric clinics and special schools.
Operating in San Jose California, this group covers Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties, Volunteers take their temperament tested pets on visits to people who live in various kinds of institutions, e.g. nursing homes, facilities for disabled or seriously ill children, hospital rehabilitation wards, the Children's Shelter, psychiatric facilities, etc.
The Pet Assisted Therapy Program visits facilities such as hospitals and long-term care homes in San Mateo County, California.
Homeless Animals Lifeline Organization (H.A.L.O) runs a non-profit rescue program in East Contra Costa County. The therapy teams work with children at local libraries (AAA) and visit residents at hospitals, rehab centers and board and care facilites (AAT).
Share-A-Pet provides pet assisted therapy to nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, hospitals, childrens' centers and other care facilities. Share-A-Pet recruits, trains and registers pet-assisted therapy teams.
The Paula Kent Meehan Pawsitive Pet Program is comprised of Dog and Handler Teams that visit at Saint John's Health Center. For teams to qualify, the handler and dog must become a registered member of the Delta Society's Pet Partner Program. Sstaff is available to help you through the process. The handler must also become a Saint John's Health Center volunteer and be accepted into the program.
A Fresno-area chapter of Therapy Dogs International. Local group of TDI handlers, meets monthly, activities, practice TDI tests, training help.
Loving Animals Providing Smiles (LAPS) volunteers in ongoing programs with seniors in assisted living, at-risk teens, elementary school-aged children with special needs and those needing help with reading skills. Based in Napa, California, LAPS maintains programs in Napa, Sonoma and Solano counties.
The Children's Hospital in Denver, Colorado offers a a dog-assisted therapy and visitation program.
This program in Denver, Colorado is a Delta Society affiliate visiting facilities in the metro Denver and Boulder/Longmont area.
HABIC teams serve elementary and middle schools, long-term care centers, and hospital and hospice facilities in the Meto Denver area. Evaluation and testing of teams is based on HABIC guidelines.
This Delta Society affiliate provides social visits in the Fort Collins area.
Most members are Delta Pet Partners, active with hospital, hospice and nursing home visits and children's reading programs. This Lafayette, Colorado group provides Delta workshops, evaluations and mentoring.
Heeling Partners are Delta Society certified pet partner teams that make visits to patients in hospitals, nursing homes and assisted care facilities. They also help improve the reading skills of children by being canine reading buddies through local library and school literacy programs.
Serving greater metro Denver providing canine-assisted therapy with Hospital and
Assisted Living programs, advanced work with victim support in Law Enforcement and
the Criminal Justice System, literacy R.E.A.D. programs. K9 c.a.r.e.s. provides a
formal Therapy Dog Team Certification (not registration) program through a series of
handler/dog team training classes and comprehensive curriculum.
Tails of Joy is based in the Union Connecticut area. Actively visiting animals can be registered with either Therapy Dogs International (TDI), or Delta Society Pet Partners.
This Wallingford, Connecticut organization provides both clinical Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) and Humane Education to children and adolescents.
PAWS for People is a non-profit, volunteer organization serving New Castle County, Delaware; Elkton, Maryland; and West Grove, Pennsylvania.
Volunteers visit 45+ nursing homes, schools, hospitals, assisted living facilities and similar facilities in the Sussex county area of Delaware.
The SPCA of Central Florida provides a wide variety of volunteer opportunities including taking social therapy animals to residents of nursing homes, adult day care centers and hospitals.
Share-A-Pet provides pet assisted therapy to nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, hospitals, childrens' centers and other care facilities. This organization is currently primarily in Florida, New England and California (San Francisco). The organizational goal is "to see qualified Share-A-Pet teams spreading love within care facilities in every State."
Trains therapy dogs for volunteer work and for working in a mental health setting.
Also trains psychiatric service dogs and works with the clients who need them.
Located in Brevard County, Florida area this group currently visits assisted-living facilities, nursing homes and a hospital. Dogs are certified under guidelines established by Therapy Dogs, Inc.
Operating in the Brevard County, Florida area volunteers visit the elderly in nursing homes, patients in hospitals, and disabled children. Dogs are certified under guidelines established by Therapy Dogs, Inc. was http://www.spacecoasttherapydogs.com
Interlachen, Florida
The Humane Society of Greater Miami, Florida, offers a variety of volunteer opportunities including a visiting pet therapy program.
Based in the Boca Raton, Florida area.
Paws for Smiles, is a group of volunteers dedicated to bringing smiles to nursing homes, hospices, hospitals and schools in South Florida through therapy dogs registered with Therapy Dogs, Inc.
Based in Port St. Lucie, FL handler and dog teams go through an extensive training and evaluation process. Once complete, the team is eligible to become members of The Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs, Inc.
Volunteers visit hospitals, cancer centers, adult day care, Assisted Living facilities and Alzheimer facilities in Jupiter, Tequesta, Palm Beach Gardens, Stuart and West Palm Beach, Florida.
This group is based in the Seminole County, Florida Orlando Metro Area. They visit: Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Facilities, Adult Day Care, Ronald McDonald House, Give Kids The World Village, Orlando VA Medical Center Nursing Home, Orange County Library System 'Paws to Read' program.
Coach Dog, Inc.
http://www.coachdog.org/Programs2.html
Coach Dog, Inc. is a 501 (3) (c) non profit organization providing animal assisted therapy to children in need in schools in Martin and Palm Beach Counties, FL
This group based in the Atlanta, Georgia area serves various nursing homes, hospices, children's hospitals, rehab clinics, special events, youth development centers, psychiatric
hospitals and children's shelters.
Volunteers for this group serving the Metropolitan Atlanta area provide Animal Assisted Therapy and Animal Assisted Activities in a variety of facilities including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and schools. Teams make regular visits in Dallas, Douglasville, and Rome, Ga. There are also teams outside the Cobb, Paulding, and Douglas County area that have been certified through Dreamworkers, Inc. and make visits at facilities in their communities.
READing Paws operates primarily in Georgia but also is involved in literacy programs in Alabama, Florida, and Middle Tennessee. The group works to improve the literacy skills of children through the assistance of nationally registered therapy animal-owner/handler teams as literacy mentors.
CAREing Paws, Inc. is a local group of registered therapy teams in Georgia that conduct visits in places such as nursing homes, hospitals, libraries and schools.
This Chicago, Illinois organization offers a wide variety of pet therapy and animal assisted activities programs. Volunteers can work with troubled teens, people facing new physical challenges, or filling a variety of other needs.
An animal shelter based in Crystal Lake, Illinois also has a pet visitation program. While cats are often used in therapy programs I can't remember a site that uses both cats and dogs, but pictures mostly cats. This is good, as it reminds people that cats can do it too.
This program serves Edward Hospital & Health Services in Naperville, IL. Teams undergo 12 hrs of specific training and then certification from Therapy Dogs, Inc.
SIT STAY READ! is a volunteer reading assistance dog program for children in the Chicago area. Their mission is to improve literacy skills and foster a love of animals by partnering reading assistance dogs with children.
Adventures With Bailey
http://AdventuresWithBailey.org
Adventures With Bailey (AWB) is a volunteer Illinois Not-For-Profit 501(c)(3) public charity serving Chicago’s North Shore to provide animal assisted therapy and related animal-based activity free of charge.
We are a group of volunteers that share the love of our pets with others.
Individuals and "teams" go on scheduled visits to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, area hospitals, schools, various types of health care facilities and convalescent centers. ...
Service Dog, Therapy Dog and Companion Pet Training
This New Orleans, Louisiana, based organization offers animal assisted activities and animal assisted therapy in the greater New Orleans area.
National Capital Therapy Dogs, Inc. (NCTD) is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, volunteer-based organization that provides Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA) and Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) services in the Maryland/DC area. While most of our animal teammates are dogs, we also work with cats and other domesticated animals.
This Prince George's County, Maryland organization provides pet visitation for residents & senior citizens of nursing care facilities; assisted living facilities, adult day care centers, and schools for handicapped children
Fidos For Freedom is a nonprofit all-volunteer assistance dog training organization. Their therapy dog volunteers and their own dogs attend special classes where they are trained to participate in pet therapy programs as hospitals and nursing homes in the Laurel, MD area.
Karma Dogs is a non-profit org that rehabilitates special rescue dogs and turns them into therapy dogs. We focus on our literacy program and working with the developmentally disabled, with a special interest in working with autistic children.
Caring Canines is a Boston, Massachusetts area pet visitation program. The program provides group visits to nursing homes, hospitals, adult day care programs and assisted living facilities.
Covering parts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont.
This organization is a group of AAA/AAT volunteers in the western county region of the State of Michigan, USA.
This organization primarily focuses on service dogs but it also offers classes in animal assisted activities. Programs cover parts of Minnesota and northeast Wisconsin.
This organization trains and provides volunteer visiting dog/owner teams to the Twin Cities community of Minnesota.
This organization operates in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area of Minnesota conducting pet assisted therapy visits to hospitals, nursing homes and senior residences. Dog and handler teams must be registered with one of the national therapy dog organizations.
Includes a list of Minnesota facilities offering AAA/AAT Animal Assisted Activities and/or Animal Assisted Therapy Training.
Pet Therapy of the Ozarks, Inc. based in Springfield, Missouri provides emotional therapy visits to nursing homes, hospitals, schools, prisons and other facilities.
Domesti-PUPS is a volunteer nonprofit organization providing canine pet therapy visitations in Nebraska (and in Iowa, Colorado, Alabama, Kansas, Indiana and Ohio). Visitations are provided for a variety of populations including the elderly, K-12 students, children and adults with emotional, developmental or physical disabilities. After completing a 9-month comprehensive training certification process, volunteers may choose to provide traditional pet therapy visitations (Petting-PUPS), or forge ahead in more specific areas such as classroom pet therapy (Edu-PUPS), reading assistance for children (Reading-PUPS) or faith-based pet therapy (Praising-PUPS).
K-9 Therapy Group of Las Vegas, Nevada, is dedicated to bringing comfort to patients, their families and the hospital/facility personnel that care for the patients.
Northeast Rehab Hospital in Salem, New Hampshire, has developed and maintained a very active Animal Facilitated Therapy Program. Animals are used within the context of traditional treatment sessions with physical, occupational and speech therapists. Additionally, the animals also make social visits to patients, delivering mail, going on rounds and participating in many community educational presentations.
New England Pet Partners, Inc. is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) active in parts of Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut and Maine. Participants are registered with Delta's Pet Partner Program.
This Madison, New Jersey organization offers a wide variety of animal related services including pet visits to a variety of health care facilities.
Operating out of the Animal Adoption Center, Lindewald, New Jersey.
The Leashes of Love AAA Therapy Group is a volunteer group of qualified handlers and their dogs organized to provide comfort and companionship to those in nursing homes, hospitals and correctional institutions.
Based in the Clinton, New Jersey area, this group provides support to cancer patients either at the hospital while undergoing chemo or at the patients home.
Therapy dog visits to homebound frail, elderly who desire companionship and to individuals with Alzheimer's disease and their Caregivers. Very flexible schedules, very appreciative recipients of visits. All clients pre-screened.
This Medanales, New Mexico, group offers Llama-assisted therapy involving fun interaction among families, couples, individuals, and children and the llamas at Llama Deara.
This program in New York State's Bedford Hills Correctional Facility assigns puppies to the inmates at this maximum-security prison for women to be raised as guide dogs. Volunteer 'puppy sitters' take the dogs into their homes once or twice a month to expose them to things they won't experience in prison.
This animal assisted therapy organization in the New York Tri-State area evaluates dogs based on their performance throughout the six session training course. The organization serves a variety of populations such as geriatric, adult medical and psychiatric, pediatrics, physical rehabilitation and terminal patients in hospice.
In Rockland (New York) and Bergen (New Jersey) Counties, volunteers from the Hudson Valley Humane Society's Visiting Pet Program provide pet visits to nursing home residents, hospital patients, retirement home residents and adult day care participants. The group is a Delta Society affiliate member and an affiliate of Reading Education Assistance Dogs.
ASPCA's Pet Partner teams are assisted with placement in facilities throughout New York City based on where they live, their interests, and the appropriate environment for both handler and animal.
Pet Partners of Syracuse, Inc.,an Affiliate of Delta Society participates in AAA/AAT and R.E.A.D. provides services at several schools, health care facilities, and libraries throughout Central New York and the greater Syracuse area.
K9 Buddies is a all volunteer, non profit organization that provides certified AAT and AAA teams. They visit the Federal Correctional Institute in Butner, NC and various hospitals, schools, retirement communities, and assisted living facilities. They also provide public education on child/dog safety issues, responsible dog ownership, training, and common behavior issues.
Helping Paws International trains, tests, and evaluates pets & their owners to be
certified & insured therapy dogs, reading therapy dogs, & assistance animal teams
that volunteer in all areas of health care, schools, children and community
programs. B.A.R.K.S (Bonding Animals, Reading, Kids, & Safety) therapy reading
dog program is a dog/cat-based literacy curriculum program.
The Children's Hospital Medical Center of Cincinnati Dog Visitation program recruits, screens, and trains teams of volunteer dogs and their handlers to visit patients.
Columbus Ohio Chapter of Therapy Dogs International.
PetPALS is an intergenerational program linking young people and their pets with senior adults. Trained Master4-H PetPALS volunteers teach youth the skills needed to interact with residents in healthcare facilities. Applying the power of human-animal bond, youths learn to train and prepare their pets so the youth-pet teams can participate in animal assisted activities. After certified the PetPALS group make visits to nursing homes, assisted living facilities etc. Let us know if ... you are interested in joining our group or would like some of our certified teams visit with you or your facility.
An Ohio group with a visiting program and Reading Education Assistance Dogs (READ) .
A registered Delta Society Pet Partners, Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) affiliate & 501 (c) 3 Non-Profit organization Providing Comprehensive, Standards Based Therapeutic Health Care Visitation, Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) Literacy Mentoring Programs & Community Outreach in Central Ohio since 2003.
This group certifies its own volunteers to visit nursing homes, assisted living facilities, Veteran's Center, hospitals and hospices.
PawPals, Inc. is the Therapy dog subsidiary of Tulsa Dog Training Club. The members of Paw-Pals, Inc. arid their dogs visit nursing homes and facilities for the mentally or physically handicapped, to share friendship and canine companionship.
This Oklahoma group uses animals and handler teams to visit various facilities to present programs directed at humane education and violence prevention.
P.A.A.W.S. (People and Animals Who Serve), operates in the Eugene, Oregon area and is an affiliate of Delta Society.
This is a specialized group based out of Eugene Oregon, but with teams in a variety of places in the United States. They assist mental health counselors in the emotional rescue, recovery and on going support of individuals who have been affected by crisis and/or disaster. Certified HOPE AACR Teams volunteer with their local disaster response teams and are ready to respond on a local and/or national level
The group has operated for more than 20 years but only recently created a web site. They operate in the Orefield, PA area.
KPETS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established to promote Animal Assisted
Therapy/Animal Assisted Activities (AAT/AAA) by recruiting, educating, uniting and
coordinating volunteers with the facilities, social agencies and special-needs
programs whose clients may benefit from the healing and rehabilitating effects of
the animal/human bond.
Pet Assisted Therapy sessions which are individually based, goal oriented treatments. Pets are family therapy petes and PPAT teams are credentialed with Windwalker and graduates of the DJ PPAT University Certificate Course
This organization provides animal assisted activities and animal assisted therapy in the Clemson, South Carolina area.
This group visits nursing homes, behavorial hospitals, Shriners Hospital ect. in upstate South Carolina.
The program serves the Memphis, Tennessee area with programs in Animal Assisted Therapy. They have independent chapters in Paducah, Kentucky; Jonesboro, Arkansas; and Leesburg, Florida
"Mid South Therapy Dogs" based in Tennessee is a Delta Society Affiliate. The group provides animal-assisted activities and animal-assisted therapy at hospitals, schools, libraries, care centers and youth facilities throughout the Mid South.
Animal assisted activities in the Cleveland, Tennessee area, dogs travel to schools, after school programs and churches to assist the teacher/counselor in teaching lessons. Topics include: Character Education, Bullying, Anger and Stress Management, Life Skills, Divorce, Grief,
TN Safety Spotters is a registered therapy dog group for deaf dogs that travel the entire Mid South area doing Animal-Assisted interactions in hospitals, abuse centers, correctional facilities along with Canine Public Education, teaching Fire Safety and Dog Bite Prevention. We provide a R.E.A.D. program and are available in the West TN area. CGC instruction and testing available. This is a 501 (c)(3)nonprofit charitable organization. Members and Volunteers welcome!
This organization is based in Copperas Cove, Texas providing pet therapy to the Central Texas area.
The SPCA of Texas for Dallas and Collin County, Texas, offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities, Included is the Compassion Connection program of pet visitations, animal assisted activities and animal assisted therapy. Pets such as birds and rabbits as well as cats and dogs are used in this program
Caring Critters is a Houston-area organization of people and their animals participating in Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) activities.
This Lewisville, Texas group visits several nursing homes in Lewisville, Flower Mound, Denton and Carrollton.
This Texas group offers a variety of rehabilitation related activities.
Based in the Flint, Texas area this group focuses on at-risk youth.
Evaluates and trains pet assistance therapy terams in the San Antonio and surrounding areas. Provides services to hospitals, nursing homes, rehab centers, military facilities, schools, and other specialized facilities.
Intermountain Therapy Animals trains volunteer/pet teams to visit the full spectrum of facilities and patients in hospitals, care centers, rehab centers, schools. We have 300+ teams. We are also the founders of Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.), now supporting children in 49 states and beyond.
A non-profit therapy dog club with aproximately 50 dedicated therapy dog teams who volunteer their time in Assisted Living Facilities, Nursing Homes, and a dog reading programs at the local library.
Based in the Bedford, Virigina area this group offers canine assisted therapy to residents of rest homes and other facilities.
The Dogs On Call volunteer progam is a Virginia Commonwealth University program. The program is coordinated by the Center for Human-Animal Interaction in collaboration with the VCU Health System Volunteer Services. The purpose of the Center for Human-Animal Interaction is to provide a formal structure for and promote interdisciplinary and interinstitutional research, clinical practice, and educational activities related to the human-animal relationship.
This Virginia based group provides nursing home / health care facility visits and R.E.A.D progams in schools and libraries. Occasional training classes offered.
Operating out of Washington State University school of Veterinary Medicine the Companion Animal Partnership program provides animal-assisted therapy/activities to area health care facilities, hospitals and mental health centers. This program is a Delta Society affiliate.
This Gig Harbor, Washington program occurs primarily inside the walls of the Washington State Corrections Center for Women where inmates reach out to help others by training special dogs to assist a disabled person. Volunteers currently assist by taking the dogs out into the community for important socialization training prior to placement.
Based in the Kirkland, Washington area, Sirius Healing offers a variety of therapy animal programs.
This group operates in the Kirkland, Washington area. Healing Paws provides professional animal-assisted therapy on a contractual basis with local health-care institutions. Teams are certified under the guidelines of the Delta Society.
Located in Olympia,Washington the Thurston County Animal Shelter offers a variety of volunteer opportunities including a visiting pet therapy program.
Reading With Rover is a community-based literacy program volunteering in the schools, bookstores and libraries of Puget Sound area of Washington State.
Pawsitive Outreach is a Delta Society Affiliate Group. We provide facility evaluations and education about the Pet Partner program. We provide community awareness and education about animal-assisted activities and therapies at fairs, seminars and pet related events. We provide Delta Society Team Evaluations quarterly, mentor new teams and refer Pet Partner teams to appropriate facilities for programming.
Dogs On Call is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization of certified therapy dog teams available for venues/facilities who want to include AAA/AAT. Dogs On Call provides program design and implementation services as well as finding suitable teams for the work requested.
We currently have three therapy llamas and two alpacas that visit hospitals, schools, senior communities, and rehab facilities within the Portland, OR, and Vancouver, WA area. Our animals have completed nearly 400 therapy visits within the past 4 years, and also participate in many special events in our community that benefit charitable causes every year.
PAL provides animal assisted therapy for residents and patients in nursing care facilities, hospices, hospitals, schools, and institutions across the DC Metro area. PAL will certify dogs, birds and various 'pocket pets', such as guinea pigs, rabbits and hamsters. The group does its own screening.
This New Berlin, Wisconsin organization serves southeastern Wisconsin offering Volunteer Pet Facilitated Therapy. Passing the initial CGC/TDI evaluations makes the pet eligible for additional classes to prepare the pet for the actual visiting experience.
This Wisconsin organization is a chapter of Therapy Dogs International.
Serving southern Wisconsin Dogs On Call provides basic and advanced training for interested volunteers and their pets; Delta Society's Pet Partners® evaluation; a matching service for medical, residential, and educational facilities requesting visits from therapy dogs and similar services.
Neenah, WI Compassionate Canines, Inc. provides area registered therapy dog teams opportunities for meaningful visits to people of all ages in a variety of settings.
Health Heelers provides AAT and AAA in healthcare, educational and community organizations in the greater Milwaukee area. Therapy Dog training and team mentoring is provided to all participants.
We have approximately 60 volunteer members with about 70 dogs visiting in our community, contributing 5000 volunteer hours each year. We visit all the nursing and retirement homes in Peterborough, Minden and Haliburton, VON day care centres, Community Living centres, local group homes and both locations of the Peterborough Regional Health Centre. We also give presentations for service groups and youth groups. Wherever we are needed, we will be there.
This group provides volunteer training and publishes "PAWS In Your Facility: A Guide To Planning Your Pet Therapy Program," a manual to assist facilities
Pets and Friends is working to ensure that people in facility care don't have to live without the comfort of companionship. Our long-running and highly successful pet visitation program touches thousands of lives each year?but there are still many elderly, sick and disabled residents who need our help.
BISHPets is a service supported by Brain Injury Services of Hamilton (BISH). The program provides animal assisted activity and animal assisted therapy (AAA/AAT) to BISH participants and also to many agencies in the Hamilton community. The teams also partner with local libraries on their literacy assistance program for children called Paws for Reading.
Based in Calgary this organization has over 400 volunteers making visits to a variety of facilities. Screening is available every couple months or so.
This group in Newfoundland is a chapter of Therapy Dogs Incorporated . They visit a wide variety of facilities, but only dogs are certified for visits.
Based in Ottawa, Canada, this program provides Innovative materials for users of animal-assisted therapy working to improve the communication skills of men and women with aphasia.
Based in Australia this group provides trained, accredited volunteer and pet teams to visit the people in nursing homes, retirement villages, aged care or health care facilities,
This Australia based program facilitates the provision of therapeutic, loving and caring visits to hospitals, hospices, nursing and care homes, and schools, by volunteers with their friendly, temperamentally suitable, obedience trained and qualified dogs.
Animal Angels Foundation provides animal-assisted therapy and animal-assisted activities to various organizations in and around Mumbai city,India.We work with a variety of populations ranging from developmentaly challenged individuals to people with emotional,physical or psychiatric illnesses. Our team of volunteers along with their pets regularly visit orphanages and old age homes.
More Therapy Dog Resources from Dogwise Books
The following links may also be of interest:
(1) Promote visiting pets with a variety of visiting pet/therapy pet apparel, tote bags, bumper stickers and more from DogPlay Shops. Identify your team as a visiting pet or therapy pet team with custom shirts or pin buttons.
(2) Books and Videos - Selected books and videos for everyone from the person interested in how to train their dog for visiting to the professional counselor incorporating animals in a guided treatment program.
(3) Resources Links - Web sites providing information on how to train for visits, how to start your own group, or academic studies.
(4) Coursework and Education Links - Organizations providing formal training, academic credit, seminars and similar advanced training for the human half of the team.
(5) Stories and Article Links - Stories about pets on visits and press articles about human-animal bond programs including pet visiting program, animal assisted therapy, animal assisted activities, dogs in rehabilitation programs.
(6) Volunteer Organizations Links - Web sites maintained by organizations that are active in pet visitation programs.
(7) Networking Links .- Discussion groups, email lists, bulletin boards and similar resources for contacting individuals involved in therapy dog and similar programs.
(8) Related information:
Service Dog Links . Service dog information and resources. Therapy dogs are not service dogs. A service animal is assigned to provide assistance or support to a specific individual.
Special Program Links Information on organizations training dogs for rehabilitation therapy for prisoners, teens in trouble and related kinds of programs.
| DogPlay's Visiting Pet Stuff |
Check the other articles on therapy dogs, visiting pets and
related topics.
Also see Books and Publications - How to train your dog, how to start a program, and more.
Help finding information of visiting pets and therapy dogs
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Check the Help page. 
Custom therapy shirts, mugs, buttons, stickers and other dog lover gifts: DogPlay Shops
Copyright © 1998-2008 Diane Blackman Created: February 12, 1999 Updated December 29, 2012