Animal Assisted Therapy

• Society: Disabled: Service Animals  (114)

Delta Society Therapy Animals :

  - A national registrar. Training and screening for people who want to visit hospitals, nursing homes, and other facilities with their animals.
Therapy Dogs International :

  - A national registrar. Provides qualified handlers and their therapy dogs for visits. Training and testing programs.
AATProfessionals Listserve :

- Practice Animal Assisted Therapy, or for persons who intend to use AAT after completing their degree programs, exams, licensures.
Alternative Solutions in Long Term Care :

- Animal Assisted and Pet Therapy Web Site for long term care. Information on how to set up a pet therapy clubs with children Also government regulations, nursing home information, links and resources to get you started in pet therapy.
Angel on a Leash :

- Pet therapy program of Westminster Kennel Club in New York City. Involvement of dogs in treatment makes physical therapy fun for young patients.
Animal-Assisted Therapy & Activities :

- A guide to resources about pet therapy, courses, and the links between animal abuse, domestic violence and child abuse.
animaLINK :

- Michigan non-profit that works to improve lives through beneficial human-animal interactions. Program areas include therapeutic, companion, and working animal services.
585 Area Cat Handicap Training :

- Cats and kittens trained for handicapped persons. Companion kittens selected according to personality for a client's needs.
Bark Avenue on Parade - Therapy Dogs :

- Provides certification and training to dog and handler teams as well as continuing education regarding animal assisted therapy. A non-profit charitable organization in St Paul - Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs :

- Non-profit organization evaluates, tests, trains, qualifies, and supports therapy dogs for the purpose of giving loving and empathic support in a variety of facilities where emotional service dogs are indispensable. Qualified members receive benefits including primary accident and liability insurance within the U.S. and Canada, therapy dog equipment, post card mailings, and quarterly newsletters.
Caring Canines: Boston Pet Therapy Program :

- Typical visit to nursing home is four to six dogs in a community room. Other programs include a crises response team. Pictures of the animals and friends. Visiting Therapy Dogs, Inc.
Caring Critters :

- People and their animals participate in Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) activities. Over 200 volunteers visit over 20 facilities in the greater Houston area. A non-profit organization.
Central Ohio Good Shepherds :

- COGS: Therapy dogs visit institutions, facilities, and other locations in the Columbus Metropolitan area. A TDI chapter. Photo gallery and a list of facilities.
Charleston Counseling Support Services :

- Focus is on training, information, and certification for pet therapy. Discusses other "expressive therapies." Offers regular continuing education workshops. Charleston, South Carolina.
Comfort Caring Canines Therapy Dogs, Inc. :

- Caring volunteers share the love of their canine campanions with others. Visits seniors, children, and hospitals in southeastern PA, NJ, DE, and MD area. How to socialize a puppy for later therapy dog work.
Companion Animal Association of Arizona :

- Their social pet therapy program includes training and qualification for volunteers and their animals. Phoenix, Arizona.
Denver Pet Partners :

- Training and evaluations for people and their pets interested in animal-assisted activities and therapy. Affiliated of Delta Society.
Discovery Dogs :

- Program whose mission is to promote self-determination and greater independence by providing individualized assistance dog training programs for people with disabilities.
Dog B.O.N.E.S. :

- A network of Massachusetts therapy dog volunteers. How to get involved. Getting your dog certified. Links to sites in Massachusetts seeking therapy dog visits.
Dog Play :

- Taking pets, especially dogs, visiting people in health care facilities; therapy ranges from mental and physical stimulation; petting the dogs, formal supervised therapy addressing a particular situation.
Dog Visitation Program Overview, Children's Hospital Medical Center of Cincinnati :

- The Children's Hospital Medical Center of Cincinnati Dog Visitation program recruits, screens, and trains teams of volunteer dogs and their handlers to visit pediatric patients.
Dog-Play: Joining a Therapy Dog Group :

- Finding someone to certify your dog is often a frustrating experience. The evaluations offered by the national organizations aren't always as frequent and convenient as you might like.
DOGTORS Animal-Assisted Therapy :

- Training and certification of Animal-Assisted Therapy teams in the Miami Valley area of Ohio. Home of DOGTORS University and DOGTORS On-Call Emergency Services.
Dr. Paws - Michigan :

- How to get your dog certified for pet therapy. Testing and activities in several Michigan cities.
Dreamworkers, Inc. :

- Helps dog and cat owners in the Atlanta area to volunteer their pets for animal assisted therapy and activity. Also helps find service dog volunteers.
ERIC: Animal-Assisted Therapy in Counseling and School Settings :

- The use of animals in clinical psychology, including goals, methods, and results.
Fidos for Freedom, Inc. :

- Fidos for Freedom is a volunteer assistance dog training organization in Baltimore. Includes information about volunteering, and service, hearing and therapy dogs.
Furry Friends Pet Assisted Therapy Services :

- Delivering the love and affection of volunteers and their pets to enhance lives and reopen closed emotional doors of people with special needs. Where they go. How to help. San Jose, CA.
Hand-In-Paw :

- Provides registered Delta Society Pet Partner teams as therapeutic tools in medical, social service, and educational settings. An Alabama non-profit.
Happy Tails Pet Therapy :

- Paws that Heal. What they do and how to volunteer. Atlanta, Georgia.
Healing Dogs :

- Describes the psychological healing and support provided by service dogs, especially companion golden retrievers. Included are true stories and a psychology contest named "You vs Your Dog".
Heart of Texas Therapy Dogs :

- Animal Assisted Therapy dog organization in Dallas metro area. Membership information and where they visit. Affiliated with Therapy Dogs, Inc.
Helping Hounds Ltd. :

- These greyhound owners share their hounds with the community through health care facily visits, research, education, and art. Animals can improve the quality of life at all levels of society. Memphis, TN.
Helping Paws Animal Assisted Activities Program :

- Offers classes on Animal Assisted Therapy and Animal Assisted Activities. Learn the skills to qualify for certification and to have successful human interactions while doing AAT and AAA work.
High Desert Obedience Club "Pet Pals" :

- Pictures of their therapy dogs in action. Training and testing available. In Antelope Valley and Lancaster, California.
Intermountain Therapy Animals :

- Non-profit organization bringing animal resources to human needs. Specializing in animal-assisted therapy in the areas of physical, occupational, speech and psychotherapies.
Jackie's List :

- A directory of Animal Assisted Therapy programs and services. Site is in Fargo, North Dakota, but the list covers all of the United States.
Lincoln Pet Partners :

- Pet therapy animals and handlers certified by Delta Society visit health care facilities in Lincoln, Nebraska. How to participate.
My Therapy Puppy :

- A Belgian Tervuren puppy named Shadow visits his senior citizen friends weekly. Photographs, stories, links and animal assisted therapy resources.
National Capital Therapy Dogs, Inc. :

- The Caring Canines: offers Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA) and Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) services, primarily to health care facilities in Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and surrounding areas. How to volunteer. How to have them visit a facility.
Nationwide Therapy Dog Listings and More :

- Articles about training visiting dogs and the benefits of pet therapy. Links to many groups un the U.S. and Canada and other resources.
North Star Foundation :

- A nonprofit that breeds, trains, and places golden retrievers with children who have developmental disabilities, autism, physical challenges, or emotional problems.
Nose-to-Nose :

- Book about a therapy dog in the United States, as well as general information about this form of training and service.
Oklahoma Dog Programs :

- Combines three sites. American Dog Obedience: school for therapy dogs and handlers. Reaching People Through Dogs: for educators, health care professionals, and volunteers around the US. Petworks in Progress: non-profit group of therapy dog volunteers in central Oklahoma.
Pacific Animal Therapy Society :

- Pet visitations improve the wellbeing of the sick, elderly, lonely and shut-ins. P.A.T.S pets come in all shapes and sizes. While most are dogs, P.A.T.S. therapy pets include cats, rabbits, birds, goats, even a llama, a miniature horse, and a snake.
Pals on Paws :

- A Minnesota chapter of (TDI) Therapy Dogs International in the northwest suburbs of the Twin Cities. Trained dogs and partners cheer patients and staff at local hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, and other facilities.
Paws & Hearts :

- Enrich the lives of seniors and children with one-on-one attention that only a four-legged healer can provide." In Palm Desert, CA.
PAWS - Pets Are Wonderful Support :

- Companions for disabled and others in need of the stimulation that pets can provide. Offers program description and contacts. Orange County, CA.
Paws With A Purpose :

- Non-profit pet therapy organization in Asheville North Carolina provides dogs to schools, hospitals, and retirement homes.
Pawsitive Connection :

- Promotes animal assisted healthcare in Arkansas. Describes a variety of training and testing. Other activities include helping sick people care for their pets.
People and Animal Learning Services :

- PALS, Inc. is a therapeutic riding program for children and adults with disabilities.
Personal Ponies Ltd. :

- This non-profit provides miniature shetland ponies to terminally ill or disabled children. Active in most U.S. states.
Pet Express - Pet Therapy Club :

- Kids, pets, and seniors. Pet Therapy Express is a complete instruction manual on how to set up an intergenerational and pet therapy program in a seniors facility. Purchase training guide and video.
Pet Therapy, Pets and Stress Relief :

- Therapeutic use of pets for a wide variety of patients. Animals provide comfort and bring out our nurturing instinct. They make us feel safe and unconditionally accepted. We can just be ourselves.
Pet Therapy Society of Northern Alberta :

- Training, support, and coordination of volunteers and companion animals for animal-assisted therapy and animal-assisted activity. Offers visitation in healthcare settings, activity programs for clients with disabilities and literacy program for children.
Pets Helping People :

- Non-profit organization prepares people to use their pets in visits to nursing homes, schools, and half-way houses. Certifies animals in Canine Good Citizen, Feline Good Citizen, and Therapy Dog International. Serves Southeastern Wisconsin. Based in New Berlin which is just west of Milwaukee.
Pets on Wheels :

- A pet visitation therapy program serving some 16 health care centers in Scottsdale, AZ. The benefits of visits. How to start a similar program. Some members teach pet care to second graders.
Pets on Wheels, Charles County :

- Arranges for volunteers and their pets to visit residents of nursing homes and provide pet facility therapy. Emphasis on patients with impaired cognitive abilities. Charles County, Maryland.
Pets On Wheels, Delmarva :

- Volunteer teams of pet and handler visit nursing homes, assisted living homes, homes for the handicapped, and other facilities. On some days, a visit may be the only contact from the outside world for a resident.
Pets on Wheels, Fairfax :

- Volunteers and their pets provide pet therapy to improve the quality of life of area nursing home residents. Fairfax, Virginia.
Pets on Wheels of Prince George's County, Maryland :

- A non-profit organization dedicated to providing friendly pet visitation for residents and senior citizens of nursing care facilities. Events, volunteers, and donations.
Potential Benefits of Animal Assisted Therapy for Children with Special Needs :

- For children with special needs, the ability to interact with a dog, cat, or other furry friend can have a very positive impact upon their quality of life.
Prescription Pet Program :

- RxPets dog assisted therapy started in 1984 by Children's Hospital and Denver Area Veterinary Medical Society. Almost half the inpatients at The Children's Hospital are offered a dog visit every day.
Prison Pet Partnership Program :

- Inmates at a correctional facility for women learn how to train, groom, and board dogs within the prison walls. A feeling of satisfaction directly contributes to the mental and physical wellness of all who are involved.
Project Pooch at MacLaren Correctional Facility :

- When incarcerated youth offenders train homeless dogs, both get a new leash on life. In Woodburn, Oregon.
San Francisco's SPCA Animal Assisted Therapy :

- Brings the healing presence of animals to people in health care facilities citywide. Volunteers take SF SPCA Program animals or their own pets on the visits: dogs, guinea pigs, rabbits, even cats.
Service Dogs for Victims of Assault :

- Non-profit organization which uses dogs as therapeutic aids for victims of assault. Includes information about the dogs used and their training.
Sirius Healing of Seattle :

- An animal assisted therapy and animal assisted activity program in Seattle, Washington. Therapy dog training to Delta Society Pet Partners standards.
Tails of Joy - Animal Assisted Therapy :

- Provides therapeutic benefit to challenged people through the use of animals. Support and training in pet therapy. Connecticut. Volunteers certified by Delta Society Pet Partners or Therapy Dogs International.
Teamwork Dog Training :

- A therapy dog class in Raleigh, North Carolina. Description of the Pet Partners Skills Test.
Teton County PAL :

- People Animal Love is a pet partner program in Jackson, Wyoming. Volunteers visit others to provide them with the benefits of contact with an animal.
Thera-Paws :

- El Paso Chapter of Therapy Dogs International. Volunteers with their TDI Certified dogs provide emotional support, education, and other aid to various groups.
Therapet Animal Assisted Therapy Foundation :

- Non-profit to facilitate use of animals in healing and rehabilitation of acute and chronically ill individuals. Education of volunteers, animals, and health care professionals.
Therapy Dog Team Training Program :

- Lyn Richards talks about the requirements for a good therapy dog. From her DogLogic.com site.
Therapy Dogs :

- Links to therapy dogs, animal-assisted therapy, and animal-assisted services, from Dog-Play.
Therapy Dogs - Getting Started :

- Advice, contacts, and links. Selection and training of the animal for pet therapy work.
Therapy Dogs Inc. - Helping People Nationwide :

- A national registrar. Helps dog owners use their pets for therapy work. Qualifications of therapy dogs. How to have a safe visit.
Therapy Dogs of St. John's Newfoundland :

- Animal-assisted therapy is accepted as a therapeutic intervention which promotes positive and beneficial health effects. Description of their program and pictures of their animals.
Therapy Dogs, Singapore :

- Provides pet-assisted therapy (PAT) to meet the physical and emotional needs of the underprivileged. Find mission statement, links, articles, and information on recent visits.
TherapyPets - California :

- Non-profit promotes animal assisted therapy. Benefits both the volunteer and those visited. Oakland, California.
Toledo K9 MASH :

- Members visit hospitals and nursing homes giving comfort and companionship to children and adults. Use of therapy dogs, contact, calendar, and pictures. Affiliate of Therapy Dogs International
Utah Animal-Assisted Therapy Association :

- Non-profit organization based in Salt Lake City dedicated to bringing comfort, love, and hope to those in need through the miracle of the human-animal bond.
Visiting Dogs :

- An article by the owner of Jake on doing therapy dog visits.
Visiting Pet Program :

- A New Orleans non-profit. Hospital and nursing home visits by a variety of mix-breed and pedigreed dogs and cats, guinea pigs, and rabbits. All animals have been temperament tested during Pet and Handler Evaluation Days.
Visits to the Elderly from Active Therapy Visiting Dogs :

- The loneliness of the terminally ill and elderly is relieved by visits from approved dogs. The health benefits of pets. Over 4500 volunteers in the United Kingdom.
Westmoreland County Obedience Training Club - Pet Therapy :

- The club schedules dogs to visit many nursing homes, several hospitals, and other organizations every month. Their therapy dogs have passed a Therapy Dogs International version of the AKC's Canine Good Citizen test. Southwestern Pennsylvania.
What is Animal Assisted Therapy? :

- Crossroads Group Home uses an Animal Assisted Therapy program stressing the benefits of animals and birds of many varieties to its residents.
Inmates Get Therapy from Pets :

- Program at Autry State Prison, Georgia. Visits by dogs relieve depression and teach responsibility. Almost 400 of the 1500 inmates participate. [WALB-TV] (June 17, 2004)
Blind Students Love These Dog Days :

- Garnet, a 75 pound shepherd, helps students at Perkins School for the Blind. She adjusts her level of play to a child's ability. The dog has protected some students by sensing an oncoming seizure. [The Boston Globe] (March 6, 2004)
Rottweilers Can Be Friends, Therapy Dogs, Too :

- An entertaining article about a rescued Rottweiler with a new and rewarding job. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette] (February 17, 1999)
Mastiffs Offer Therapeutic Companionship :

- The story of four giant mastiffs and their new-found roles as therapy dogs. [Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, TX] (February 25, 1997)