Pet Partners, the largest nonprofit organization that registers handlers and animals to become part of a volunteer animal-assisted therapy team, believes there are many kinds of animals that can form a strong human-animal bond. The organization registers dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, domesticated rats, horses, donkeys, llamas, alpacas, pot-bellied pigs and birds. Below are steps to becoming an animal-assisted therapy volunteer.
1. Attend a pet handler course either in-person or online.
2. Have a veterinarian screen your animal’s health and ensure all vaccinations are up to date.
3. Have a licensed evaluator assess your human-animal team’s skills and aptitude.
4. Submit your official application.
For more information, visit: petpartners.org