Animal Assisted (Pet) Therapy

A guided personalized visit with a cat or dog and human handler to improve health and wellness. Pet therapy visits typically occur in nursing homes, senior centers, hospitals, schools and libraries.

Young Girl Being Visited In Hospital By Therapy Dog
Man smiling holding a tiny kitten
Therapy dog and group of kids in the preschool
Pet Therapy Dog being pet by elderly hands

Pet Therapy Teams Needed:

  • Does your cat or dog seem to love humans more than their own species?
  • Do you like visiting places to spread love and joy to those you visit?
  • Do you have 2 hours a month (or more!) to devote to animal assisted (“pet”) therapy visits?
  • Is your dog well-behaved and trained in basic commands like sit, stay, leave it?

Then complete our email us to learn about how you can volunteer to become a pet therapy team member and help others!

Are you interested in volunteering as part of a pet therapy team, but do not have a dog or cat?

No worries! We can provide training, and you can handle one of the pets in the program. The annual fee for a handler without a pet is $30.

The fine print: a Pennsylvania criminal background check and child abuse clearance (if visiting at places with children) is required for all therapy dog and cat handlers; pets must be up-to-date on vaccinations, and have a clear health check (by a veterinarian) prior to entrance into the program.  How to achieve therapy team status:  1) an orientation (without pets); 2) two separate observations with the pet at a senior living center; 3) a final evaluation with the pet.  After that, just 2 hours a month participating in visits will keep you as an active member of Pawsitive Hearts Pet Therapy and Rescue, Inc. There is an annual fee of $35 per team (and $5 per additional pet).