Get Involved
Volunteer with a dog
Already a registered therapy dog team or want to become a registered therapy dog team? Join us by following the steps below.
Donate
Your donation provides essential support for our programs and volunteers.
Volunteer without a dog
Interested but don’t have a dog? No worries, there are still plenty of opportunities to get involved! Email pawsunleashpotential@gmail.com to learn more.
How to Volunteer with Paws Unleash Potential
Step One
Become a Registered Therapy Dog Team
Review the registration requirements from the Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD) organization.
After successfully becoming a certified therapy dog team, proceed to step 2.
FAQ’s
What is a registered therapy dog team?
An owner and his/her dog are defined as a team. To become registered with Alliance of Therapy Dogs, the team completes the required evaluations and attends at least three supervised therapy visits with a local tester/observer. If the team passes the test and visits, they become registered in a national database and receive liability insurance coverage for their volunteer therapy work.
Can any dog be a therapy dog?
Yes! There are no restrictions on breed or size to be a therapy dog. The most important attributes are personality, disposition and temperament. All therapy dogs need to be patient, friendly, gentle, tolerant and have the ability to adapt to various situations.
What is the difference between a service dog and a therapy dog?
The main distinction is that a service dog is trained to assist one person while a therapy dog is trained to provide joy and comfort to many individuals. Service dogs are allowed to accompany their handlers in all public facilities. They can fly on airplanes with their owners and can live in places that have “no pet” policies.
Can a service dog volunteer as a therapy dog?
While some organizations may allow a service dog to also serve as a therapy dog, Paws Unleash Potential does not. We believe that a service dog needs to be able to concentrate fully on their job assisting their owner, and not be expected to also fully participate in therapy visits.
