Therapy Dog Program

Arkansas Hospice recognizes the positive influence that pets can have on patients. As a result, we have a thriving Therapy Dog Program that offers volunteers with certified therapy dogs the opportunity to visit patients in nursing homes and our inpatient facilities.

Not to be confused with service dogs, therapy dogs help patients by simply visiting them. These special dogs have an ability to connect with and bring joy to all kinds of people, even those who are normally unresponsive or disconnected from their environments. Good therapy dogs are quick learners with loving, easygoing personalities and can stay calm in unusual or stressful situations.

To participate in our Therapy Dog Program, the dog’s owner or handler must be a trained and certified Arkansas Hospice volunteer, and the animal must:

Be a minimum of 1-year-old
Be healthy
Be friendly
Be accompanied by an adult when handlers are younger than 18, with a registration form signed by a parent or legal guardian

Pass an evaluation that is certified by a national organization, such as Therapy Dogs International, Pet Partners or Alliance of Therapy Dogs

For more information on the Arkansas Hospice Therapy Dog program, please email hhawkins@arkansashospice.org.

Click here to read a 2019 article about the Arkansas Hospice Therapy Dog Program.