8 Signs Your Pet Could Be a Great Therapy Animal  

Have you met an amazing therapy animal or seen one on your local news? If you have your own pet, maybe you asked yourself, “can my pet make a difference like that?” Every therapy animal is different and unique. They may also come from many different types of species. But animals that would be great a great therapy animal share these eight key traits:  

1. They Love Meeting People

The most important thing for a therapy animal is that they like meeting new people. They shouldn’t just be ok with going on visits: they should have fun and have better lives because of it. So, animals that are excited to interact with strangers of all ages and backgrounds could be a great fit for this work. If you’ve watched your pet meet someone new and lean in or place a friendly paw on their arm, they could make a great therapy animal. But make sure they know how to follow important cues when they need to. 

2. They Know Basic Cues

Therapy animals don’t need to be perfect! They don’t even need to be expertly trained. However, they should be able to follow basic cues. Dogs should be able to sit, down, stay, leave-it, and heel. Other species are evaluated for general manners instead. But during visits, you won’t be using many cues because you want your pet to freely express what they would like to do. Still, they should be generally well-behaved and make the people they visit feel comfortable and confident in their abilities. Because when your pet can stay calm, the people they meet will feel calmer, too! 

3. They Can Handle Stress

Hospitals, schools, and assisted living facilities can be stressful places. Volunteering with a therapy animal means bringing a pet into these very human worlds. Thus, they will probably feel out of their comfort zone. They may see strange things, hear strange noises, and smell strange smells. So, it’s important that these new experiences don’t cause them too much stress. It’s ok if your animal gets startled at first by new things, but they should be able to calm down and adjust to the situation quickly.  

4. They’re Healthy

Since visiting can sometimes cause stress, your pet should be healthy to take on this work. Therapy animals must be healthy to keep themselves safe, and to keep everyone around them safe, too. They should not have any diseases that could cause them pain, especially if the pain would get worse while visiting. They also should also be free of illnesses that could harm the people they visit. Some medications can make pets more likely to pass along diseases, to both other animals and humans. You’ll want to think carefully about what medications your pet is taking before you start the path to become a therapy animal team. Pets with disabilities can make great therapy animals, you will need to have a veterinarian check they are pain-free and ready for the role.  

5. They’re Comfortable Around Other Animals

Your pet doesn’t need to get along with every animal they meet to do this work. However, they do need to be ready to meet other animals on a visit. Once facilities see how great therapy animals are, they often want lots of teams to visit them! So, your pet could run into other animals in the lobbies and hallways of these spaces. Therapy animals should be well-behaved during these meetings to keep everyone safe. This means your pet should not get overly excited, distracted, or aggressive if they see another animal across the room.  

6. They’re Mature

Just like how it takes time for people to mature, animals need time to grow! You need to give them time to build their personality. The amount of time here is different for each species. If you’ve had your pet for a long time, you have probably seen how they’ve changed as they’ve grown up. There may be things that they liked in the past that they no longer want to do. Even though some people start training therapy pets very early, an animal must be mature before they’re evaluated to do this meaningful work. This also gives you time to get to know your animal better, which we’ll talk about next. 

7. They Have a History of Good Behavior

To be the best for your pet partner, you need to know your animal’s behaviors well. If you know your animal well, you will be better at predicting how they will act. For instance, how does your pet show you they’re excited to do something? Or what do they do when they’re ready to go home? Understanding how your pet “talks” to you is key for a smooth visit.  

To make sure that you know your animal’s history, you should have your animal for at least 6 months before they evaluate. Pets that have been aggressive in the past should not become a therapy animal. The only surprise you want on a visit is the sudden joy of a resident, child, nurse or patient when they meet your pet! 

8. They’re Bonded to You

Being a great team means more than just having a great animal. To be successful, you and your pet should work well together. You two should already have a strong bond before you begin this journey. Therapy animals who look to their handlers for guidance and comfort will do well in this work. And if you and your pet share a secret “handshake”, you may already have your first trick to show off on a visit!  

Whether they’re furry, fuzzy, or feathered, your pet should check all these boxes before you start the process of becoming a therapy animal team. Did all of this sound like your pet? Start your journey to becoming a team here.