At Pet Partners, we know that humans and pets share a deep, innate connection. Through this strong human-animal bond, we support millions of people each year. Whether it’s lending a hand (and paw) during challenging times or participating in awareness and fundraising events such as our Pet of the Year event, Pet Partners volunteers are creating a happier and healthier world through the unconditional love of therapy animals.
Supporting Communities in Crisis
Pet Partners is committed to stepping in when communities need help the most. In response to unexpected events such as natural disasters or other tragedies, our Animal-Assisted Crisis Response (AACR) teams bring relief to affected communities. Sometimes it’s offering emotional support to families directly affected by natural disasters or helping first responders cope with stress, either way, therapy animals play a critical role in the healing process after a disaster.
Most recently, several of our AACR teams visited communities affected by the Southern California wildfires. They came onsite to offer comfort at catastrophe relief sites, emergency response centers, and schools in the affected areas. The teams worked out of evacuation centers where people were dealing with the loss of everything they owned, many distraught. The animals provided a sense of calm when they were able to pet a dog or wrap their arms around them. They also went to fire stations where they provided the same stress relief to firefighters who work round the clock.
More than 70 Pet Partners AACR teams visited Los Angeles, Burbank, Pasadena and Santa Monica.
Becoming a Therapy Animal Handler
Many of our therapy animal teams are retired people with a strong sense of community who want to help in meaningful ways. Volunteers can engage with their pets and bring comfort to those in need. Retirees often have a wealth of life experience to offer, and there’s nothing quite like knowing that your presence—and your pet’s presence—will help someone feel calmer and more at ease during times of crisis.
Retirement can be the perfect time to pursue animal therapy work.
For those wanting to make an impact and who would like to explore volunteering with their pet, becoming a registered therapy animal team is a meaningful volunteer role to explore. Pet Partners provides prospective handlers with the necessary education and guidance to ensure that they and their pet are prepared to step into varied situations, whether supporting young students with our Read With Me program, bringing joy to patients in the hospital, or supporting communities as an AACR team member.
Retirement can be a great time to pursue that passion. Therapy animal work is rewarding, fulfilling, and provides older adults with a sense of purpose. Therapy animal handlers spend quality time with their pets, work together as a team, and visit hospitals, nursing homes, schools and other locations where a pet’s affectionate nature can make a difference.
Becoming a therapy animal handler offers a way to stay active, maintain social connections, and bring joy to those who need it most. Many handlers report that therapy animal work keeps them mentally and emotionally engaged, while providing them with a fulfilling way to contribute. The human-animal bond has been shown to offer many physical and emotional benefits, such as lowered blood pressure, decreased feelings of stress and loneliness, and increased overall happiness. It’s rewarding for therapy animal handlers to know that they and their pet are bringing comfort to those going through difficult times.
Nominate Your Pet for the Pet Partners Pet of the Year: A Special Fundraiser
Pet Partners’ annual Pet of the Year event is a 6-week fundraising competition that welcomes all pets—therapy animals, non-therapy animals, and Rainbow Bridge candidates. Pet candidates and their favorite humans engage in activities to raise funds, with the pet who accumulates the most donations earning the Pet of the Year title. This initiative highlights remarkable pets but also raises essential funds to support the Pet Partners Therapy Animal Program. Visit the official Pet of the Year website to nominate pets.
If a pet has a unique talent, a heartwarming story, or simply brings joy to those around them, we encourage everyone to consider taking part. It can make a significant difference in promoting the benefits of pet therapy and supporting our mission to enhance human well-being through the human-animal bond. Nominating a pet contributes to our ability to expand programs and reach more communities in need.
There are countless ways to get involved with Pet Partners. Visit www.petpartners.org today to learn more.
Traci Pryor joined Pet Partners in 2014 and serves as the chief development officer, working closely with many of Pet Partners’ partners, including generous national corporate and strategic partners. Pryor is also responsible for creating national signature events and initiatives for Pet Partners including the Animal-Assisted Workplace Well-being program, the World’s Largest Pet Walk and National Therapy Animal Day.
Photo caption: Winston (left) and Joy (right) help their communities in Southern California on a recent AARR visit.
Photo credit: Courtesy Pet Partners.
