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Animal Assisted Therapy

What is Animal Assisted Therapy?

What is Animal Assisted Therapy?

Animal Assisted Therapy teams facilitate communication, healing, and motivation by sharing the love of companion animals with those facing mental, physical, or educational challenges. AAT volunteers share their time, compassion and their special pets including Dogs, Cats, Rabbits and Pigs to visit locations throughout San Francisco and share the human-companion animal bond with over 100,000 people annually.

If you’re interested in getting involved with AAT, please see one of our info pages.

What is Animal Assisted Therapy?

We currently have nearly 300 volunteer Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) teams making visits to locations throughout San Francisco. Working with their own friendly dogs, cats, pigs, and rabbits, our busy volunteers share the human-companion animal bond with over 100,000 people annually.

The AAT department operates a General Program and the Puppy Dog Tales Reading Program (PDT). Both programs facilitate communication, healing, and motivation by sharing the love of companion animals with those facing mental, physical, or educational challenges.

The General Program sends volunteer teams to hospitals, nursing homes, senior centers, psychiatric facilities, developmentally disabled centers, convalescent homes, and youth facilities. Our teams provide animal assisted activities and sustained work toward therapeutic goals in conjunction with a health care professional.

Our Puppy Dog Tales program brings the benefits of the human-companion animal bond to young readers. We work in San Francisco public libraries, San Francisco unified schools and local bookstores to improve literacy and engender a love of reading in children whose first language is not English, those with learning disabilities and remedial readers.

If you’re interested in getting involved with AAT, please see one of our info pages.

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Our Programs

AAT General Program

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Puppy Dog Tales

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Wag Brigade

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Become a AAT Volunteer

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"Jagger loves people and seeing the joy he provides to every person he meets through the SF SPCA Animal Assisted Therapy Program. It is a very rewarding experience! Not only does my community benefit from the Animal-Human bond, also my pup’s life is enriched with every visit.”
Cat & Jagger
Cat & JaggerAAT Volunteers
“Being able to participate in AAT is the closest you will ever get to sprinkling the world with happy fairy dust. I am humbled every time someone tells me meeting my dog was the best thing that happened to them that day. That week. That month. And this happens all the time.”
Shari & Toby
Shari & TobyAAT Volunteers
"During visits to a psychiatric hospital, Bruce typically greets everyone and then most people share their experiences with animals at any point in their lives. At the conclusion of a visit, one of the doctors walking me out told me that prior to our visit, one of the patients who interacted with us hadn't said a word to anyone in weeks! This is higher impact work than we realize, and we're so glad to be a part of it!"
David & Bruce
David & BruceAAT Volunteers
“There is a certain magic to watching patients sit with a very large chocolate lab (sometimes snoring or drooling), and seeing how their day seems to dramatically improve.”
John & Bombay
John & Bombay AAT Volunteers
“Jacee loves working with children in both the General and Puppy Dog Tales programs. She has a special gift of being able to help children who are afraid of dogs be comfortable with her.”
David & Jacee
David & JaceeAAT Volunteers
“Being part of Animal Assisted Therapy provides an amazing way to bring calm and a smile to people's faces who are often lonely or isolated. The simple act of letting people see or pet Dudley brings them joy — and it lets me spend more quality time with my favorite friend, my dog.”
Shannon & Dudley
Shannon & DudleyAAT Volunteers
“It is always a JOY to have an AAT team visit our center! Our Seniors light up when they meet our furry friends. Because AAT dogs are so accepting and unconditionally loving, our Seniors are eager to interact with them. How heartwarming it is to see our Seniors smiling and playing with these furry creatures. If all we need is love, AAT delivers love all the time!”
Diane
DianeActivities Coordinator
“My 6-year-old son has trouble focusing. Because of that, school, and reading in particular has been a challenge for us. He loves when others read to him, but to get him to read is not easy. But when it comes to reading to Nev – he looks forward to his sessions and he can’t wait to read. He grabs one of his favorite Splat the Cat books and he reads for the full half an hour!”
Puppy Dog Tales Parent
Puppy Dog Tales ParentParent
“I emailed SPCA San Francisco asking about a virtual reading program through which my girls could possibly read and talk to a dog. I didn't know how my girls would do with it all, but I wanted to give it a try. I got a reply [from AAT] who sincerely wanted to help. After a call or two, we were all set up and matched with a beautiful and patient Bernese mountain dog named Daisy and her wonderful and supportive owner, Sandy. During the first virtual visit, my girls immediately read and talked to Daisy -- and Sandy! I was so pleasantly surprised. ”
Virtual Reading Parent
Virtual Reading ParentParent
“When Callie and I walked into an ICU to visit interns and residents, we were asked if we could meet a patient who had been in a coma for a month and who was sadly unresponsive. They’d tried multiple sensory options to revive her. All had failed. We walked into the room, Callie’s paws hit the bed and immediately the patient’s eyes opened, she wiggled her toes and tried to speak despite being intubated. She grabbed Callie’s fur and pet her head over and over. Callie stayed still but her tail was a-wagging. I’ll never forget that jolt of electricity that zipped through the room as everyone watched in awe and realized what just happened!”
Leigh Anne & Callie
Leigh Anne & CallieAAT Volunteers
“Max and I love our volunteer work with the AAT program. Whether it's a day at a senior home, hospital or at SFO with the Wag Brigade, the experience is so rewarding and pawsitive. Knowing we've shared a bit of joy, made someone smile, or comforted someone makes our day!”
Roxanne & Max
Roxanne & MaxAAT Volunteers
“Bringing joy to someone's day via animal interactions is why I chose to volunteer in the AAT program. I especially enjoy mentoring new AAT teams as well as training staff dogs for visits. A.J., a Labrador mix, was the first staff dog I trained and who holds a very special place in my heart. A natural for the program, A.J. would sit and hold out her paw to every person who wanted to meet her. A romantic at heart all she wanted was to hold hands and an ear rub!”
June
JuneVolunteer Mentor
“We have enjoyed SF SPCA AAT visits here at the Peer Wellness Center for about four years now. Our members look forward to weekly visits with great anticipation, excitement, and fondness. Relationships with human and animal companions have been built, fostered, and established throughout the years. During the pandemic, we have shifted to virtual ZOOM AAT visits. It may seem like in-person visits with touch, and a deeply meaningful, warm, and intimate connection may be lost during virtual video visits, but we have found the exact opposite to be true. Our weekly virtual visits have proven to be more popular than ever!”
Peter
PeterPeer Counselor
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Ready To Adopt?

Get started.

To expedite the adoption process, please complete the cat or dog adoption form and bring a printed copy with you to the SF SPCA Adoption Center (Hours & Location). This helps us better understand what sort of pet you’re looking for so we can guide you every step of the way! Please bring a valid photo ID and verification that you are allowed to have a pet where you currently live.

Find the perfect match.

First, we’ll meet with you to find out more about you and your pet preferences and answer your questions. Our goal is to help you find the pet that best fits your lifestyle and living situation so we want to make sure you have a realistic understanding of the time and resources necessary to provide training, medical treatment, and proper care for your new pet. This can take time so please allow at least one hour for the adoption process.

Meet and greet.

Once we have a good understanding of your living situation and the type of pet you’re interested in, we’ll make introductions and let you spend some quality time getting to know each other to see if there’s a love connection. It’s important that all household members take part in this important decision so please make sure everyone is present (including any resident dogs if you’re considering adding a new pooch to your pack).

Make it official.

Once love happens, we’ll complete the paperwork, review all the SF SPCA adoption benefits, provide information on any known medical or behavioral issues, and share tips to make the transition a success for both you and your new pet.

Stay in touch.

We consider you and your new furry friend a part of the SF SPCA family so please reach out with questions ― and be sure to share your adoption stories and pet photos at sfspca.org/stories

Don’t forget to schedule your first free health exam at the SF SPCA Veterinary Hospital within three days of adopting.