Pet Partners Therapy Animal Program Handler Guide

You’ve felt it – the undeniable boost to your mood and spirit you feel when you’re with your pet. Every year, thousands of pet owners around the world choose to share this gift by becoming a member of Pet Partners. If you’ve considered becoming a therapy animal team with your pet, this book is your first step! Learn about the best practices for therapy animal work for you as a handler, and discover whether your animal is suitable for this kind of work. This book is the companion text for the Pet Partner Handler Course, available in-person or online through petpartners.org, and also covers current lexicon, the benefits of animal-assisted interventions, and the evaluation requirements.

Pet Partners’ Therapy Animal Program represents the best that the field of animal-assisted interventions has to offer. Volunteers in the Therapy Animal Program interact with a wide variety of clients including veterans with PTSD, seniors living with Alzheimer’s, students with literacy challenges, patients in recovery, people with intellectual disabilities, and those approaching end of life. We believe that the human-animal bond is a mutually beneficial relationship that improves the physical, social, and emotional lives of those we serve. We are motivated by connection, compassion, and a commitment to sharing this meaningful bond with everyone who can benefit from time spent with an animal.