Our volunteers work as teams to bring Furry Friends on visits to people who live in various kinds of institutions, e.g. nursing homes, facilities for disabled or seriously ill children, hospital rehabilitation wards, the Children's Shelter, psychiatric facilities, etc. Currently our visits to facilities are in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties, California.

Furry Friends Pet Assisted Therapy Services is a registered nonprofit corporation and governed by its Board of Directors. All Board meetings are open to the public. We are a volunteer organization. Our volunteers help administer, manage and deliver our services.

Not at this time. Therapy Dogs International does not accept associate members who have dogs certified with any type of therapy dog related program or organization. They will only certify members who make a full and exclusive commitment to their organization. Furry Friends does not have such a policy. We encourage our members to volunteer with their pets as much as their time and energy permits ... with our teams or with other organizations.

We provide monthly visits at over 60 facilities through Santa Clara, San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties. We have over 300 active volunteers, sharing the love of their animals with people in need.

Furry Friends Pet Assisted Therapy Services began in 1983 by Judy Kell, whose nine year-old daughter came down with a rare and aggressive form of cancer that eventually took her life. Judy noticed that one of the very few things that lifted her daughter's spirits was the interaction with her cat. Judy, a veterinary technician by profession, consulted with Dr. John Quick, a veterinarian in Morgan Hill and together with Dr.

The pets belong to the volunteers who go on visits. All pets must pass a physical and behavioral evaluation before attending visits.

All of the information and forms you would need are located on our web site under New Volunteers. The process can take several weeks, to get all of your forms filled out by your veterinarian, processed by our office and attend our class. We are an all-volunteer organization, so your patience is appreciated

We have received contributions from over 400 local donors and have received grants from major foundations and corporations, including Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Network General, the Community Foundation, the Valley Foundation, and others. In order for any nonprofit organization to survive, its primary source of support must be its individual donors. We do not receive any city, county, state or federal funding. Another major source of funding is the companies that employ our volunteers.

Still another benefit of a Pet Assisted Therapy Dog are the outdoor activities gained in exercising, practicing skills and playing with the dog. This increases the activity level of many people. Fresh air and exercise helps improve well being and outlook on life. Caring for another creature and having responsibility creates a sense of self worth.

For more details about your pet's suitability, please call UAATA at (801) 280-1855, and/or contact the Delta Society (www.deltasociety.org).

Physical soundness is most important in a Pet Assited Therapy Dog candidate because of the tasks they will be doing. The dogs must be of a good lineage that has accomplished hip and elbow certifications, eye exams and health evaluations.

The loving companionship enjoyed with an "ArfKids" Pet Assisted Therapy Dog eases the frustration and loneliness that often accompanies a special need. The dog's happy, playful nature brings joy and activity into the life of a child that may have limited outside playmates. The dog freely offers unconditional love and is a constant source of comfort and friendship.

ARFKids" Pet Assisted Therapy Dogs are wonderful icebreakers in public situations; they are beautiful, friendly, and very well behaved. People will smile, approach and speak to someone accompanied by such a dog. The owner is complimented on his dog and it becomes a source of pride as well as independence. Human to human contact, even though brief, is established. Good, positive feelings are experienced with the help of a dog.

ArfKids" Pet Assisted Therapy Dog is life-long commitment and not a responsibility to be taken lightly. The child and immediate family must consider what it means to have a dog accompanying them everywhere they go. The dog must be able to: 1) relieve himself during the day, no matter what the weather 2) have water, food and be comfortable. Additionally, the dog will need health care and trips to the veterinarian, grooming, teeth cleaned and nails trimmed. Also, there are costs to consider.

Yes, we love to have students join our teams, with or without pets, and with or without other family members. You'll need to check our requirements on the Site page to make sure they meet our eligibility and age restrictions for any particular facility that is of interest. You must be aware, though, that we only visit each facility on the average of once a month. That means that if your student needs several hours to fulfill a class requirement, it might take several months to do so.

Anyone who has ever owned a pet knows of the tremendous love and acceptance pets bring. Pets don't care how we look or even how we act; they love us unconditionally. For people who are in difficult life situations, pets can be of special benefit. Petting a dog, for instance, has been shown to lower blood pressure. Animals can often reach people when human relationships may be difficult.

Body Therapy Services is a business owned and operated by Lori Robinson. Lori is a California state licensed esthetician (provides skin care services) and a nationally certified massage therapist who has been providing therapeutic massage and body treatments to office clients and in the field at sporting events since 2002. Contact information

Outpatients should call or stop in to make an appointment (bring physician prescription). Inpatient services will be specifically ordered by your physician.

Assisted Services are the personal, individual services that are provided to our residents. Some of our residents live in our community for safety and convenience; with the additional security of our emergency call system. Other residents need a helping hand with daily activities. Each resident's needs and desires are discussed to determine how our staff can be of assistance, while allowing as much independence as the resident can manage, or would like.

The use of animals to facilitate positive changes in a broad spectrum of therapeutic settings is becoming more accepted, appreciated and valued. Under direction of health services and education professionals, animal-assisted therapy can promote physical, emotional, cognitive, and social improvement for people with special needs.