Pet Partners helps you share your dog or other animal’s love with people who need it most. From schools to hospitals, our teams brighten lives every day. We’re here with expert guidance, friendly support, and all the tools you need to get started.
As a Pet Partners volunteer, you’ll receive access to exclusive visit opportunities, comprehensive liability insurance, and local volunteer groups for community connection. Engage in meaningful programs like Walk With Me™ and Read With Me™, and grow through free and discounted continuing education. Our expert staff are here to support you every step of the way. With Pet Partners, you’re not only giving back: you’re strengthening the bond with your pet through safe, supported, and impactful service.
Therapy animal teams visit hospitals, nursing homes, schools, veterans’ centers, workplaces, and more. They help:
Create an account and see how you and your pet can start this journey together.
No special training is required. Your pet should have good manners, be calm around new people, wear a leash or harness comfortably, and be house trained.
Visit our Program Requirements page for details about the criteria for animals in our program.
There are six steps to join Pet Partners with your pet. Most of them can be completed online and at your own pace. You’ll need to finish within two years after taking the Handler Course. Most people finish everything in about 3 to 6 months.
The team evaluation consists of a series of exercises that mirror the types of environments and situations Pet Partners teams might encounter when volunteering. The team evaluation is the only part of the registration process that must be done in person; keep in mind that you only need to evaluate every 2 years. For more information about what to expect at your team evaluation, you can view our webinar, Are You Ready to Evaluate?
If you get a Not Ready rating, it just means you and your pet weren’t quite ready yet—and that’s okay! Many teams pass on their second try. You’ll get feedback from your evaluator on what to work on and can try again when you’re ready.
If you get a Not Appropriate rating, your team isn’t the right fit for our program. It doesn’t mean your pet isn’t wonderful, it just means therapy visits may not be the best path for you and your animal.
Pet Partners teams can visit any place that wants therapy animal visits. Some places already have programs, and others might start one if you ask by reaching out to them directly.
Registered volunteers can also see a list of visit opportunities posted by our partner facilities. You can choose to sign up through opportunities in this directory, but it’s not required.
We have a helpful Facility Toolkit you can share with facilities. It explains how therapy visits work and how to get started.
You choose how often you visit. Pet Partners doesn’t require a set number of hours. Just keep visits to under two hours per day with your animal.
You know what’s best for you and your pet! Visiting should be fun and stress-free for both of you.
Yes! Kids as young as 10 can be handlers. If you’re under 16, an adult must come with you on every visit. All minors under 18 need a parent or guardian to sign a permission form and submit it to Pet Partners.
If you still have questions about the Pet Partners Therapy Animal Program, contact our team.
