Events & Initiatives

Therapy Dogs and Animals for Crisis Response

The human-animal bond becomes especially powerful and visible in times of crisis or tragedy. Whether during natural disasters, emergencies, or collective grief, therapy animals offer stability, comfort, and healing. Our Crisis Response teams lead with care and compassion. They provide an ear to listen, an empathetic shoulder to lean on, and a much-needed light during the darkest days of a crisis.

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Dakota the Shepherd
Dakota the Shepherd
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What is Animal-Assisted Crisis Response (AACR)?

Animal-Assisted Crisis Response (AACR) is a type of animal-assisted activity (AAA) that brings comfort to people during times of crisis. These crises can be natural (like wildfires or hurricanes), human-caused (like a mass shooting), or technological disasters (like transportation accidents). AACR works because animals can help people feel safe, calm, and supported. The presence of a therapy animal creates a sense of comfort and helps build trust with people affected by a crisis. AACR does not replace professional counselors or medical staff. Instead, therapy animals offer support in the early stages after a crisis by listening, showing empathy, and sharing the unconditional love that therapy dogs and other therapy animals can offer.

Examples of Pet Partners AACR Team Deployments Include: 

Spending time with migrant children experiencing long-term separation from their family.

Visiting a school community that recently experienced gun violence as part of the district’s grief support offerings.

Engaging with victims of natural disaster as they navigate reconstruction in the weeks following floods and fires.

Volunteering within local public departments, such as police stations and emergency response headquarters, to provide stress relief to employees like first responders and 911 operators.

How does Animal-Assisted Crisis Response (AACR) work?

The Pet Partners AACR program is based on a simple idea: neighbors helping neighbors. We believe that people who live in the community are best able to help their own community after a crisis or disaster. Teams focus on local crisis events, while Pet Partners staff help organize their visits, so the teams can focus on giving support where it’s needed most.

Our AACR teams receive extra training and a special credential, so they feel prepared and confident to handle difficult or highly stressful situations.

Request AACR Teams

Get support after a tragedy or crisis event in your community.

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Review the AACR Program Flyer and AACR Toolkit to learn about our requirements, protocols, and general policies.

Get permission from administration or management so that therapy animal teams are allowed on–site. You can share the AACR Program Flyer and AACR Toolkit with your contacts to explain the program. 

Submit your request here. 

After you’ve submitted your request, you will receive a scheduling link to your email to set up a call with our AACR coordinator. 

Questions? Please contact [email protected].

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Testimonials

“I was completely unfamiliar with the pet crisis response world, but the event was a huge success. So many people have come to me thanking me for the huge uplift. Those big dog smiles just make everything in the day lighter. Everyone misses their pets and families so much right now, and the Pet Partners dogs remind us of our calm and normal lives. There are no words to describe how today lifted the unit’s spirits. Truly. We had responders overwhelmed in tears from the emotion the dogs gave. Hearts were pouring out to those sweet, professional dogs and genuine handlers.”

– Kayla, On-site Coordinator at the Key Bridge Incident Command Center

“On December 6, 2023, we had five therapy teams at UNLV’s Lied Library for one of our regular visits. Hundreds of students were with us when we were told there was an active shooter on campus and that we’d be hearing a lockdown announcement. We were locked in that room for over five hours. Our AACR training kicked in, and we kept everyone calm. I’ll never forget that one young man held my dog Charlie’s paw the entire time. We may have been at the wrong place, but at exactly the right time.”

— Sue Grundfest, Pet Partners of Las Vegas Community Group Leader

“Muffin and I provide AACR to our community in a nonemergency crisis role. I have seen much pain and suffering through tragedy in my career. Typically, firefighters deal with the emergency and then must go to the next call without knowing how things worked out [or] if people received the support they needed. AACR with Muffin allows us to help support individuals in times of crisis in a non-rushed setting. It can be very heavy sitting in the grief and actively listening to those we visit with but overall, very rewarding to show our community we care. When Muffin gets home, she likes to roll in the dirt after an AACR visit.”

— Lindsay McDade, Pet Partners Handler and Cayce Fire Department Battalion Chief

Become a Crisis Response Therapy Team

Help your neighbors heal and recover from a crisis by becoming a Pet Partners AACR Team. All Pet Partners AACR teams complete extra training and get a credential through our online training course. The course covers psychological first aid and introduces the FEMA Incident Command System. Registered Pet Partners teams can join the AACR Corps after 6 months of active visiting experience.

Submit an Application

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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Animal-Assisted Crisis Response (AACR) is a form of animal-assisted activity (AAA) that provides comfort to people affected by natural, human-caused, or technological disasters. AACR does not replace professional counselors or medical staff. Instead, therapy animals and their handlers provide support in the early stages after a crisis. They do this by listening, showing empathy, and sharing the unconditional love that therapy animals offer.  

You may request an AACR visit on behalf of a community, organization, or facility experiencing natural, human-caused, or technological disasters. Before reaching out to Pet Partners, please make sure you get approval from leadership or management to bring therapy animal teams on-site.

Pet Partners does not charge for crisis response visits. However, as a nonprofit, we kindly ask for donations to help cover the costs of training and supporting these specialized teams. Donations allow us to offer continuing education, scholarships, dedicated AACR equipment, and other resources that make this program even stronger for the people we help. If you would like to donate, you can request an invoice or make a donation online.

Yes! But please remember that all our therapy animal teams are volunteers, so we cannot promise that teams will always be available. On the AACR Request Form, you can choose either a one-time request or a recurring visit. A one-time request is for a visit that may span over a few days but has a clear end date. A recurring request is for ongoing support that is needed for up to one month.

Yes, all Pet Partners AACR teams get extra training and a special credential through an online training course. The course teaches how to give comfort during a crisis and introduces the FEMA Incident Command System. Registered Pet Partners teams can join the AACR Corps after 6 months of active visiting experience. Become an AACR team today by submitting an application.

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