October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, and in honor of this important observance that helps shelter dogs find homes with loving families, we’re pleased to share this blog post about shelter pets as therapy animals. Approximately 6.5 million animals enter shelters across the U.S each year. If you’re like…
Therapy animal handlers enjoy volunteering their time to enhance the lives of others, but it’s important that therapy animals are also comfortable doing this work. Many people wonder whether or not therapy animals actually like their jobs. Two recent studies have addressed this question. A 2018 Applied Animal Behaviour Science study found…
When holidays come around, it might be tempting to give your animal an adorable pair of cupid wings or a Santa hat in preparation for a visit. But before you dust off your pet’s costume collection, take a minute to learn about why it’s best to leave the costumes at…
This post is part of a continuing series on preparing your pet for therapy animal work. Animals who become part of our Therapy Animal Program need some essential skills in order to do this work safely and successfully. While the skills will vary depending on the animal's species, all prospective…
The 4th annual World’s Largest Pet Walk took place on Saturday, September 25, and it was an amazing event! People across the U.S. and around the world participated, showing their support for therapy animals and the benefits of walking with pets. Thank you to everyone who registered, everyone who walked,…
If you’re a registered Pet Partners therapy animal team in the U.S. or Canada, you know that you received a team rating when you completed your team evaluation, and that it’s listed on your acceptance letter and team ID badge. And if you’re a staff member at a facility that receives…
Dementia is the umbrella term for general loss of mental abilities that affects an individual’s capability to function and carry out activities of daily living. It most commonly affects older adults, but it is not a normal part of aging. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, characterized…
This post is part of a continuing series on preparing your pet for therapy animal work. You’ve brought a new pet home who you think might be a great therapy animal (perhaps one you adopted from a shelter), and you’ve taken some time to prepare them for experiences they might…
Join us as we kick off our 3rd annual Pet Partners Pet of the Year fundraising event! This exciting six-week fundraising competition honors the furry, feathered, and scaled companions who make our lives better. Do you think your dog stands out from the pack? Your feline friend has amazing cat-itude?…
2023 Magic Scholarship Award Recipient: Kate Buhrmaster Congratulations to Kate Buhrmaster, senior program manager for dog therapy at Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), for being awarded the prestigious Pet Partners Magic Scholarship Award for 2023! Established in 2017 by Dr. Aubrey Fine, the $1,000 scholarship aims to support registered Pet…
Join us in the tastiest fundraiser of the year! Treats & Sweets Day is an annual fundraising event that celebrates the sweetest day of the year, National Therapy Animal Day. How Does Treats & Sweets Day Work? Treats & Sweets Day is a chance to bake and sell…
