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Volunteer

What is an ideal Pet Therapy Team?

Pets & People strives to ensure that our therapy teams are the best representatives of animal assisted therapy that they can be. A pet therapy team consists of a handler and the pet. Both play equally important roles in a successful team. 

Ideal Handler

We strongly recommend that you have been through at least a basic obedience class with your pet and have kept up with training on a regular basis. The ideal Pets & People handler will exhibit excellent voice commands and gentle leash control of their pet. They should be comfortable engaging people in light conversation and have a willingness to volunteer in their community on a regular basis. They will also be very well attuned to their pet’s needs and limitations.

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Ideal Pet

An ideal Pets & People dog will know basic obedience and easily follow its handler’s commands. The dog will exhibit “calm enthusiasm” and have a friendly and animated behavior when approaching new people. The ideal Pets & People cat will be able to wear a harness and ride calmly in a car. Both dogs and cats must be comfortable in strange environments, with loud noises and with people they do not know.

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Important points:
1.    We only certify dogs and cats.

2.    All pets must be current with rabies vaccine.
3.    Our experience is that most dogs are not ready to be tested until 18 months old but we are flexible. If team is ready in obedience and temperament, we are open to seminar and testing earlier.

4.    We do not certify pets to be brought to work. 
 

What is an ideal P&P team?

Member Benefits

  1. Pets & People Pet Therapy Certificate, ID Badge and Patch

  2. Access to the Pets & People Active Member Portal on this website, whereby handlers can sign-up for Event opportunities that are posted and other exclusive Member Workshops, Zoom Social Hours, Member Discussion Groups

  3. Liability Insurance (Policy covers if dog harms someone while at a Pets & People approved facility visit or event, provided all protocols have been adhered to)

  4. Yearly Member Celebration where we bring all our teams together for a fun afternoon to celebrate all the good we do in our communities

  5. Ongoing support with visits 

What are the Member Benefits?
Ready to bring Joy?

Member Expectations

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  1. Abide by the Protocol for Pets & People Member Teams
     

  2. ​Purchase Pets & People approved pet therapy vest.  Vests are approximately $30.  Cats are not required to wear a vest.
     

  3. Yearly Recertification (current fee is $50)  A new Pets & People certificate will be issued for the next year.

Member Requirements
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