Walk With Me™

We all need relief from the stress of daily life. The simple act of walking is a great way to boost our mood and improve our physical health, and did you know that people who walk with a therapy animal are more likely to meet physical activity recommendations? Imagine the difference you can make in your community just by walking!

A person walks with their therapy dog.
Trouper the Retriever
A person walks with their therapy dog.
Trouper the Retriever
A man takes a walk outside with a tan dog.

Why Walking?

Walk With Me was developed in response to the 19th Surgeon General’s Call to Action about walking for better health. It is an accessible and flexible style of therapy animal visit that is easy to incorporate into a variety of settings and with a variety of participants. You and your therapy animal can walk with one person, several participants, or a whole group, and you can meet weekly, monthly, or as often as you choose. And as a bonus, you and your therapy animal will receive the benefits of walking, too!

Champ the Akita mix

Where Can Walk with Me Visits Happen?

People anywhere can benefit from a walk with a therapy animal, and walking visits can be incorporated into many locations where therapy animal visits already take place.

Our program visits assisted living facilities, independent living centers, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, schools, and workplaces.

Post a volunteer opportunity
A man in an assisted-living facility hold up a Walk With Me backpack as he sits next to a therapy dog handler with her white poodle.
Snowflake the Poodle

Sign Up

  • Our Walk With Me program is available to all current Pet Partners teams. There’s no cost—just opt in while completing your Pet Partners team registration, and receive access to support materials to help you get started.
  • If you’re a facility that would like to add Walk With Me visits to an existing program, post a volunteer opportunity through our website where registered therapy animal teams in your geographic area will be able to contact you directly, request a Facility Tool Kit or search for Pet Partners groups near you.

Walk With Me helps people of all ages develop a healthy relationship with fitness, while also providing the opportunity to experience meaningful therapy animal interactions.

Woman walks with therapy dog.