Pet Partners vs. Other Therapy Animal Organizations: What’s the Difference?

Many people who want to volunteer with their pet start with a simple idea: My pet brings so much joy to people. Could I share their love through volunteering? 

When you first start exploring volunteering with your pet as a therapy animal, one of the first names you may see is Pet Partners. That’s because we’re one of the largest and most established therapy animal programs in the United States. 

More online research may reveal several other therapy animal organizations. At first glance, they may seem similar. But when you look closer, you’ll see important differences in preparation, standards, and support.  

Choosing the right organization matters. Therapy animal visits take place in hospitals, schools, senior living communities, and many other places where people may be vulnerable or under stress. A strong program helps you and your animal get ready for these visits.  

This blog post explains how Pet Partners compares with other therapy animal organizations, so you can decide the best path for you and your pet. 

Why the Organization You Choose Matters 

Therapy animals can make a big difference in the lives of others. A calm dog may help a patient relax, a friendly cat may make someone smile.  

Even a short visit can brighten a hard day. But therapy animal work also comes with responsibility. 

You and your pet will meet many different people through your visits. Some may be nervous around animals. Some may be very excited to see them. Others may be fragile or ill. 

You’ll also encounter situations and environments that will probably be very unfamiliar: large crowds who surround your pet, people confined to hospital beds or wheelchairs, unpredictable noises, or medical equipment.  

Pet Partners places a strong emphasis on preparing volunteers for these situations so both you and your pet feel confident and safe.  

The best programs help you understand how to keep visits safe, teach you how to interpret your animal’s body language, and to know when they need a break. 

The right organization for you will help both you and your pet feel ready. 

Why Pet Partners Volunteers and Pets Thrive 

One of the biggest differences many prospective volunteers notice is how Pet Partners focuses on education and preparation before visits begin.  

Pet Partners is the only national organization that requires all volunteers complete a training course as part of the process to join.  

There are many organizations that support therapy animal work—from large national programs to smaller local groups. Some other programs may allow teams to begin visiting with little or no preparation. While this may make the process feel easier at first, many volunteers later say they rely on what they learned in the Pet Partners Handler Course during almost every visit.  

The coursework, based on scientific research on animal behavior and welfare, helps volunteers understand animal body language, recognize stress signals, and manage visits safely. Even the most experienced therapy animals can feel stressed during visits. Learning how to recognize those moments helps volunteers protect their animal’s well-being and end visits at the right time.  

Evaluation standards can also vary between organizations. Pet Partners uses the evaluation, and re-evaluations every two years, to ensure teams still feel confident, comfortable, and prepared at the start and as they and their animal change over time. Some organizations only evaluate once across the team’s entire career. 

Another difference is the level of insurance and support offered. Pet Partners provides comprehensive liability insurance and lots of resources for volunteers once they join. Other programs may only have minimal liability coverage, or offer limited help for teams once they’re active and begin visiting. 

These differences can affect how prepared and supported volunteers feel throughout their therapy animal journey. 

A Quick Comparison 

The Pet Partners Therapy Animal Program 

Pet Partners is a national nonprofit that registers and supports therapy animal teams.   

In millions of hours of visits, we have learned what works and what doesn’t. We know the situations that can create difficulty and how our volunteers can best approach them.  For decades, we have refined our coursework and support to be based on real-life data and feedback from current and former teams. 

The Therapy Animal Program offers a clear path for people who want to volunteer with their pet. Our goal is to help therapy animal teams feel confident, prepared, and supported. 

Education Comes First 

One of the defining features of the Pet Partners Therapy Animal Program is the focus on education. 

Before becoming a registered therapy animal team, all prospective volunteers must complete and pass an online course that teaches about therapy visits. The course covers topics like animal body language, infection control, safety practices, and visit etiquette. 

Some therapy animal programs focus primarily on the evaluation but Pet Partners emphasizes the importance of learning first. This education helps volunteers understand how to support both the people they visit and their pet. 

Many volunteers say their training helped them feel much more confident when they begin visiting. 

A Focus on Safety  

Therapy animal visits take place in many different environments. People in various settings where you might visit could be dealing with illness, stress, or difficult life moments. Because of this, preparation is key. 

Pet Partners has the team evaluation as part of the registration and renewal process to observe how you and your animal work together. The evaluation helps confirm that your team can stay calm, focused, and responsive during visits. It also helps determine what the best visit environments might be for you and your pet. 

This preparation helps create positive and safe experiences for everyone involved. 

A National Network of Volunteer Opportunities 

Another key difference between therapy animal organizations is the reach of their program. 

Pet Partners supports therapy animal teams across the United States. Because of our national network, many facilities know and trust Pet Partners teams. 

Some smaller organizations operate only in one region or community. While these groups still do very valuable work, they may have fewer opportunities or resources available to their volunteers.  

If you move towns or even states, or decide you want to pursue a new type of visit, Pet Partners is here for you. We help connect volunteers with opportunities to serve in many different settings. 

A One-Stop Shop for Volunteering With Your Pet 

Many choose Pet Partners because everything that a volunteer could need to support their therapy animal work is in one place.  

Some therapy animal organizations only help you evaluate and register your pet. After that, you may need to search for training, resources, or volunteer opportunities on your own. 

Pet Partners offers a full program designed to support volunteers from start to finish. 

Once you and your pet become a registered therapy animal team, you can explore many ways to volunteer together. Some teams take part in special initiatives such as Read With Me™ for visits focused on literacy education, or Animal-Assisted Crisis Response (AACR) for visits that support people during crises. Others focus on regular visits in their local community. 

Pet Partners provides ongoing education and resources to help volunteers grow in their unique work. This support helps you feel confident and prepared during visits.  

We’ll help you and your pet build a meaningful volunteer journey together, all within one trusted organization. 

Why Facilities Trust Pet Partners Teams 

Facilities that host therapy animal visits often look for teams who are well prepared. 

Hospitals, schools, and care centers want to know that volunteers understand safety rules, animal behavior, and how to interact with people respectfully. 

Because Pet Partners emphasizes education and preparation, many facilities feel confident welcoming our registered teams onsite. 

This preparation also gives volunteers peace of mind. Handlers know they have the knowledge and support they need to handle visits safely. 

Why Many Volunteers Choose Pet Partners 

Many volunteers choose Pet Partners because the program focuses on both animal welfare and volunteer support. Volunteers appreciate the clear step-by-step process that helps them prepare for visits. They also value the national network of opportunities and the many ways they can continue volunteering once they are registered. 

For many people, volunteering with their pet is one of the most meaningful ways they can give back to their community. 

Ready to Start Your Therapy Animal Journey? 

If your pet enjoys meeting people and stays calm in new environments, they might make a wonderful therapy animal. 

Pet Partners offers free informational webinars that explain how the Therapy Animal Program works and what steps are involved in joining. 

These sessions will also help you understand what therapy visits look like and how you and your pet can prepare for them.  

Feel ready to get started right now? Start by creating an account in our Volunteer Center. 

With the right preparation and support, you and your animal can bring comfort, connection, and joy to people in your community. 

And that journey often begins with one simple step: learning how you and your pet can volunteer together.