First Selectman Fred Camillo has proclaimed April 30, 2024 Therapy Animal Day in Greenwich in recognition of the positive role therapy dogs and other therapy animals, in partnership with their human companions, play in creating happier, healthier communities nationwide. Therapy animals can provide physical, psychological, and emotional benefits to those they interact with, typically in facility settings such as healthcare, assisted living, and schools. While most frequently dogs, therapy animals can include other domesticated species such as cats, horses, and rabbits, to name a few.
Robin Arnold and her 7-year-old, standard poodle, Jimmy, comfort cancer patients at two Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospitals. They also listen to children practice their reading skills at Perrott Memorial Library’s ‘Read to a Dog’ program in Old Greenwich. Jennifer Krasnow, Pet Partners Evaluator, visits senior living centers, hospitals, and libraries with her 11-year-old golden doodle, Kako.
Dr. Elizabeth Lynch is the National Program Educator for Pet Partners. She and her 5-year-old guinea pigs, Cookie and Moo, visit Hamilton Avenue School and Barbara’s House every week to help improve the children’s literacy skills.
Pet Partners, the nation’s leading nonprofit for registering therapy dogs and nine other therapy animal species, established National Therapy Animal Day to:
• Recognize and honor the exceptional therapy animals and their volunteer human handlers who bring comfort and healing to those in need.
• Raise awareness about the positive role therapy animals play in enhancing the health and well-being of humans.
• Encourage more pet owners to consider becoming volunteers and help others by creating greater access to safe and meaningful therapy animal visits.
“Therapy animals and their human handlers help people of all ages experience the incredible benefits of the human-animal bond,” said Annie Peters, President and CEO of Pet Partners. “It is an honor on National Therapy Animal Day to recognize our hardworking teams who bring these healing benefits to their communities and improve lives through the power of pets. If you have a special pet, we hope you’ll consider sharing their unconditional love with your community too.”
After years of challenges posed by the pandemic, economic instability and social unrest, the need for therapy animals is greater than ever. From decreasing fear, anxiety, and loneliness, to shortening recovery times and lowering perceived levels of pain, to supporting motivation and focus that helps us learn, therapy animals are a force for good, positively impacting entire communities.
“The greatest role we can play is giving the animals in our lives the opportunity to share their unconditional love with the people who need it most,” said Paige Krisby, a Pet Partners volunteer in with her therapy cat, Rorschach. “Whether or not you have a pet, we can all improve human health and well-being by making therapy animal visits possible—spreading hope and healing to more people.”
For those who are interested to join, Pet Partners of Fairfield County offers free therapy animal evaluations in Greenwich and New Canaan on a monthly basis. Please contact Elizabeth Lynch (203)-274-0117 for more information or visit Pet Partners of Fairfield County Facebook page.
For more details on National Therapy Animal Day and to learn how to become a therapy animal volunteer team with your pet, please visit www.nationaltherapyanimalday.org or www.petpartners.org
Pet Partners is the leader in the therapy animal field for registering volunteer teams. Since 1977, we have supported thousands of teams in making millions of safe, effective visits across the country and around the world. Through the human-animal bond, we can improve the physical, social, and emotional lives of both the people and animals involved. Pet Partners supports volunteer teams by offering the highest quality preparation, an unmatched approach to evaluation and registration for nine different types of animals, and a focus on connections. We elevate the importance of therapy animal visits, and our teams help build a healthier and happier world for us all. Whether or not you have a pet, learn more about sharing the human-animal bond by visiting petpartners.org.
