How to Volunteer With Your Pet: A Step by Step Guide to Becoming a Therapy Animal Team

I Want to Volunteer with my Pet! What Do I Need To Do? 

Volunteering with your pet is a special way to share their love and create comfort, joy, and connection with people who need it most.  

Here’s how to get started on your journey to do just that. 

First, Make Sure Your Pet is a Good Fit 

Before you jump in, take a minute to think about whether your pet will enjoy this type of work. Therapy animals aren’t just well-behaved pets or those that are good at following cues, they truly thrive on positive interactions with people. 

They Enjoy Meeting New People 

A therapy animal should like meeting strangers. If your pet leans in, wags their tail, purrs, or shows happy interest when greeting someone new, that’s a great sign. Visits should be fun for them! 

They Stay Calm and Respond Well in New Places 

Therapy animals visit many types of settings, like hospitals, schools, and libraries. They may experience loud noises or busy hallways. Your pet should be able to settle down after something surprises them. 

They Are Healthy and Comfortable Around Other Animals 

To volunteer with your pet, their welfare should be front and center. Your pet must be healthy and pain-free to join Pet Partners and start visiting. This is to protect them and the people that you visit. They should also stay calm if they see another animal across a room or hallway. 

They Have a Strong Bond With You 

You and your pet work as a team. Your pet should feel safe with you and look to you for guidance on what to do next. If you communicate well with each other, you’re already on the right track. 

How Does Volunteering Work?  

When you volunteer with Pet Partners, you and your pet visit as a “therapy animal team”. Together, you bring comfort and connection to people in your community. 

Key Terms: Handler, Therapy Animal, Therapy Animal Team  

One of the first steps when you enter the world of volunteering with your pet is to understand the new vocabulary you’ll hear. Some key terms are:   

• Handler: The human volunteer who guides and supports the pet. 
• Therapy animal: A pet that provides comfort through safe, positive interactions. 
• Therapy animal team: You and your pet working together during visits. 

To get the full list of important terminology, check out Start Here: Terms Every Pet Partners Volunteer Should Know. 

Why Pet Partners is the Gold Standard 

Pet Partners is a leader in safety, training, and animal welfare. Our standards keep you, your pet, and the people you visit safe. Many facilities prefer Pet Partners teams because they know our volunteers are well-prepared. You’ll have a clear education, strong support from staff, and a national community behind you. 

Step 1: Create Your Volunteer Center Account 

Your Starting Point 

The Volunteer Center is where your journey begins. Creating a free account lets you explore the process at your own pace. 

What You’ll Find in Your Account 

Your Volunteer Center account includes: 

• Step-by-step instructions on how you and your pet can join 
• Links to your required coursework plus optional offerings 
• Resources to understand the Therapy Animal Program and help you and your pet prepare 
• Access to Pet Partners staff support 

If you want extra help before you start, join a free Volunteer With Your Pet webinar. 

Step 2: Take the Handler Course 

Why This Course Matters 

Every handler must take the Pet Partners Therapy Animal Handler Course. It teaches you how to keep visits safe and enjoyable. You’ll learn what your pet needs from you and what people in different settings may need as well. 

What You’ll Learn 

The Handler Course covers:  

• Infection control and safety 
• How to support your animal’s comfort 
• How to reduce risk 
• How to prepare for different visit environments 
• What makes therapy animal visits safe and effective 
• Pet Partners policies and procedures 

This course helps you feel confident and ready to volunteer. 

Step 3: Get Your Animal Health Screening Form Completed 

A Quick Health Check for Their Safety and Yours 

Your veterinarian must complete the Animal Health Screening Form. This shows that your pet is healthy, pain-free, and ready for therapy animal work. This step protects everyone involved. 

Step 4: Prepare for Your Team Evaluation 

What the Evaluation Looks At 

The evaluation checks how you and your pet work together. Evaluators look at how your pet behaves around strangers, how they react to unfamiliar equipment, noises, or movement, how to guide your pet, and how you work as a team and communicate. 

Wondering if past training is enough? The My Dog Just Passed His Canine Good Citizen (CGC). Does That Mean We’re Ready to Volunteer? blog post gives an overview of what you need to know about common preparation strategies to volunteer with your pet.  

How to Get Ready 

One of the best ways to prepare is to practice visiting procedures. Explore different places with new sights and sounds, using the equipment that you’ll want your pet to visit with. Keep practice sessions short and positive. Help your pet stay relaxed and confident. 

Understanding Ratings 

After your evaluation, you’ll get a rating such as Predictable or Complex. Both ratings refer to the nature of the places you’re best suited to visit in, but one is not necessarily better than the other.  

Predictable environments are settings that are quieter, with less activity and more easily anticipated interactions. Complex environments involve more distractions, activity, and unpredictability. When your team receives its rating at your evaluation, it will help you get better matched with visit settings where your pet will feel comfortable and safe. 

Step 5: Complete Your Registration 

What Registration Includes 

To finish your first registration, you will: 

• Pass a background check 
• Pay the registration fee 
• Submit required documents, like the Animal Health Screening Form 

Why Registration Matters 

Registration means you are an official therapy animal team with Pet Partners. You’ll be covered by our liability insurance policy, supported by national standards, and trusted by facilities that rely on Pet Partners teams. 

Tips to Help You and Your Pet Succeed 

Practice Makes Visits More Enjoyable 

Regular practice helps you both feel confident. If you’re curious to know more about what a typical visit looks like, read What to Expect on a Therapy Animal Visit blog post. 

Support Your Animal’s Well-Being First 

Your pet’s comfort should always come first. Watch for signs of stress, take breaks, and keep visits short if needed. 

Stay Connected to the Pet Partners Community 

Join optional webinars, follow us on Facebook or Instagram to see stories from other volunteers, and engage with the community in our Facebook group. As a Pet Partners volunteer, you are part of a large network that values safety, kindness, and the importance of the human-animal bond. 

Your Journey Starts Today 

Sharing your pet with others is a wonderful way to brighten people’s lives. And your journey starts with one simple step. 

Create your Volunteer Center account and start your journey.