Our popular pet therapy program is based on the idea of using trained animals and handlers to achieve specific physical, social, cognitive, and emotional goals with patients. We have dedicated volunteers who regularly bring cats, dogs, and rabbits to a variety of organizations. Animals can provide unconditional love and comfort to people at all stages of life, and our volunteers have witnessed how therapy pets can help to restore language and hope to people who have lost some of their physical or cognitive abilities.
Pet Therapy can contribute to the health and well-being of people. These benefits include:
- decreasing stress and reducing blood pressure
- alleviating anxiety, loneliness and depression
- providing a motivating factor for physical rehabilitation
AWA’s volunteers and pet therapy animals visit retirement and assisted living communities. Our dedicated teams bring joy and happiness to these community residents. In the past, we have worked with the Ronald McDonald House, Emeritus Senior Living and Brandywine Senior Living communities. Our pet therapy teams are happy to work with all types of organizations and people, from children through the elderly. AWA’s Pet Therapy volunteers do not do in-home visits, and at this time we are unable to visit psychiatric facilities.
