REQUEST A PET THERAPY VISIT

At Pets and Friends, we offer free ongoing pet therapy to health & educational facilities across the Lower Mainland, and to various ad hoc community events that align with our non-profit mission.


Wanting to arrange pet therapy visits to your business? We'd love to visit!

Click here to learn more about our Employee Wellness Programs.

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Sign Your Facility Up To Join

Our Ongoing Pet Therapy Program

Think your Facility could benefit from ongoing pet therapy visits from one of our Teams? Submit your application to join our program! Click the link below.


'Feel The Love'

Invite Us to Your Community Event

We love getting out in our community!

Invite Pets and Friends to host an event at your space or to join your community event.

  • What type of facilities does the Pets and Friends Pet Therapy Program accept?

    Cancer treatment centres

    Community centres

    Colleges and universities

    Day programs

    Group homes

    Homeless shelters

    Hospices

    Hospitals

    Mental health units

    Rehabilitation centres

    Seniors facilities and retirement communities

    Veteran housing communities

  • What are the benefits of having a Pets and Friends Pet Therapy Team visit your facility?

    Pet Therapy Teams are carefully evaluated through our process.

    Members are covered by Pets and Friends’ third-party liability insurance in the unlikely event of an incident occurring during a pet therapy visit.

    Volunteers are committed to participating in your program on a regular schedule.

    Ongoing communication with and support from Pets and Friends to ensure the efficiency, effectiveness and safety of the Pet Therapy Program and to address any questions, concerns or comments.

    Pet therapy visitations are provided free of charge.

  • What is expected of a Pets and Friends Partner Facility?

    A designated contact person to coordinate pet therapy visitations.


    A safe environment for our therapy pets (i.e.: if non-therapy dogs or other pets are permitted in your facility, they must be on a leash).


    Orientation and/or training for our volunteer, appropriate for the facility.


    A clear understanding of Pets and Friends’ policies and procedures for handler/pet teams and a willingness to abide by them. This includes only let Pet Therapy Teams visit who have an active Pets and Friends Membership.


    Suitable space for pet therapy visits (this could be in lounge/common areas; in a hospital, this is often volunteers visiting in individual rooms; in a school, it may be a quiet room where staff provide crowd control.)


  • How can we identify a Pets and Friends Pet Therapy Team?

    Both pet and handler have been issued Pets and Friends nametags. Pets rock a branded purple bandana, and our handlers sport a branded vest.

  • How the application process works!

    All requests are reviewed to determine if your facility is a good fit for our mission.


    Your facility will then be added to our list of available pet therapy opportunities for Pet Therapy Teams to review when selecting a partner facility to visit.


    When a suitable Pet Therapy Team is available and interested in volunteering, Pets and Friends will contact the partner facility primary contact directly with our teams' credentials. 


    As we allow our teams to express their partner facility preference, we are unable to provide a timeline for a partner facility to receive a team. 

  • How long are the events scheduled for?

    The events can be either 60 or 90 minutes in length.

  • What does the setup look like?

    The event can take place in a designated room or with stanchions for crowd control. 

  • What happens at these events?

    Typically, we provide 2-5 (sometimes more!) pet therapy teams to come share the love at your event. 

    You may wish to have participants pre-book for the time slot that best suits their schedule (and arrange for them to drop by in small groups) or simply host a drop-in session where they line up to get some puppy love!

    Participants have an opportunity to pet, cuddle and talk to the dog.

  • What about insurance?

    All pet therapy teams are covered by our third party liability insurance during the event. Please inquire for more information or about being an additional insured.