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The mission of TheraPet is to promote and perform animal assisted therapy in a variety of settings in an effort to provide comfort, companionship and positive interactions. To that end, TheraPet recruits, screens, trains, and orients volunteers and their animals.

Description:
Social scientists have long lauded the human-animal connection. Clinical studies have demonstrated that viewing and touching animals can lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety and modulate depression. Companion animals are used to stimulate conversation, invite interaction, and aid in physical therapy.
Many of our member teams visit nursing facilities sharing their pets for animal assisted activities (AAA). Other teams are trained to offer goal directed therapy for people in sub-acute facilities, hospitals or in psychiatric settings (AAT). Still others work on a weekly basis in schools with children. Some animals and their handlers acquire additional training and coursework for service in advanced applications such as Crisis Intervention.

Any person with a friendly, well mannered pet they wish to share with people who are unable to have an animal of their own, is welcome to screen their pet. TheraPet screens cats, rabbits, and other animals as well as dogs. We also have junior handlers who are accompanied by adults when in public service.
Individuals without a pet to share may join as a supporting member. They are welcome to attend our meetings and will receive our quarterly newsletter.

History:
TheraPet began in 1989 with a small group of caring people who shared their pets with residents at the 'Old Soldiers Home' in Edison, NJ. Since then, the organization has trained over 500 volunteer animal and handler teams who offer their special form of therapy to people who are isolated by illness, disability or emotional distress in over fifty institutions in the tri-state area.

Contact people:

TheraPet , Inc. Membership Information, (phone), (email) Donna Ballotta, VP-Membership, (phone), (email) Alice Crans, President, (phone), (email)

Address:

P.O. Box 787 Clark, NJ 07066

Web Site: http://www.therapet-inc.com

Directions:

n/a

Miscellaneous Information

Does this opportunity allow for people completing community service hours?
	Yes