Therapy Pets of Greater Cincinnati's Pet Partner Teams are registered with The Delta Society to provide Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA) and Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) in both predictable and complex environments.

Many of our Members also volunteer in the Reading Education Assistance with Dogs (R.E.A.D.) program at several local schools and libraries.

We are also available for public or private speaking engagements and to assist client facilities in establishing a pet therapy program and a training program for its staff and volunteers.

Please visit the Client pages of this site and continue to learn more about us and how we may be of assistance to you.

The formal definition of animal-assisted activities is:

AAA provides opportunities for motivational, educational, recreational, and/or therapeutic benefits to enhance quality of life. AAA are delivered in a variety of environments by specially trained professionals, paraprofessionals, and/or volunteers, in association with animals that meet specific criteria." (from Standards of Practice for Animal-Assisted Activities and Therapy)

What does this really mean? Animal-assisted activities are basically the casual "meet and greet" activities that involve pets visiting people. The same activity can be repeated with many people, unlike a therapy program that is tailored to a particular person or medical condition.

The Key Features of AAA:

• Specific treatment goals are not planned for each visit.
• Volunteers and treatment providers are not required to take detailed notes.
• Visit content is spontaneous and visits last as long or as short as needed.

The formal definition of animal-assisted therapy is:

AAT is a goal-directed intervention in which an animal that meets specific criteria is an integral part of the treatment process. AAT is directed and/or delivered by a health/human service professional with specialized expertise, and within the scope of practice of his/her profession.

AAT is designed to promote improvement in human physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning [cognitive functioning refers to thinking and intellectual skills]. AAT is provided in a variety of settings and may be group or individual in nature. This process is documented and evaluated." (From Standards of Practice for Animal-Assisted Activities and Therapy)

The Key Features of AAT:

• There are specified goals and objectives for each individual.
• Progress is measured.

This program was introduced in November, 1999, with the mission to improve the literacy skills of children in a unique approach - employing a classic concept of reading to a dog. Their models are built for schools, libraries and other settings and uses registered therapy animals who have been trained and tested for health, safety, skills and temperament. These special animals volunteers with their owner handlers as Pet Partner Teams offering children as opportunity to improve their reading in a setting which has proven not only effective but fun.

Getting Involved in Literacy Mentorship