Lauren Rabin, Elizabeth Lynch with Cookie and Moo (Guinea Pigs), Seated Left to Right: Cheryl Skowron and
Theo (Golden Retriever), Bethany Hulme and Pongo (Labrador Retriever), Louise Stix and Cody (Miniature
Poodle), Robin Arnold and Teddy (Standard Poodle), Lauren Wilson and Nico (Miniature Bernadoodle) On the
Floor: Whitney Welch and Siren (Bernese Mountain Dog). Photo Credit: Al Perez
Local Pet Partners registered therapy animal teams held a proclamation ceremony hosted by First Selectman, Fred Camillo, and Second Selectman, Lauren Rabin, to celebrate the role of therapy animals in the community and their work providing comfort and companionship to those in need.
National Therapy Animal Day on April 30 was created by Pet Partners, the nation’s leading organization registering therapy animals for animal-assisted interventions (AAI), to recognize all of the exceptional therapy animals who partner with their human companions to bring comfort and healing to those in need. Therapy animals and their handlers can be found helping people of all ages in a variety of settings including hospitals, pediatric care units, schools, and assisted living facilities. On National Therapy Animal Day, communities everywhere can do the following:
• Recognize and honor therapy animals.
• Raise awareness and educate the public about the role therapy animals play in enhancing the health and well-being of humans.
• Honor the thousands of dedicated handlers (the human members of therapy animal teams) who volunteer their time and compassion during visits.
“Therapy animals and their human handlers help people of all ages experience the incredible benefits of the human-animal bond,” said C. Annie Peters, President and CEO of Pet Partners. “It is an honor to recognize our hardworking teams today and every day, who bring these healing benefits to their communities and improve lives through the power of pets.”
For more details on National Therapy Animal Day, visit www.petpartners.org/ntad
PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, Pet Partners has designated April 30 as National Therapy Animal Day; and
WHEREAS, Pet Partners therapy animal teams in the Town of Greenwich play an essential role in improving human health and well-being through the human-animal bond; and
WHEREAS, Pet Partners therapy animal teams make millions of visits per year in settings such a’s hospitals, nursing homes, schools and hospice; and
WHEREAS, Pet Partners therapy animal teams interact with a variety of people in our community including veterans, seniors, patients, students facing literacy challenges, and those approaching end of life; and
WHEREAS, These exceptional therapy animals who partner with their human companions bring comfort and healing to those in need.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FRED CAMILLO, FIRST SELECTMAN OF THE TOWN OF GREENWICH, do hereby proclaim April 30, 2023 as NATIONAL THERAPY ANIMAL DAY in the Town of Greenwich, and encourage our citizens to celebrate our therapy animals and their human handlers. Further, I publicly salute the service of therapy animal teams in our community and in communities across the nation.
