Improve human lives through therapeutic visits with your dog to people in need.
Paws for Change trains owners and their dogs for therapeutic visits to venues such as correctional facilities, youth centers, assisted living facilities, and schools. The impact on the lives touched is immeasurable.
We launched our Paws for Change animal-assisted therapy program starting with a partnership with Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution (BWCI). Our Paws for Change teams have been conducting twice-weekly visits at BWCI, reaching more than 70 residents each week.
"It just lifts my spirits," said Kimberly, a Baylor resident. "You don't realize what you miss until you're in here."
Paws for Change dogs and their handlers go through an initial evaluation followed by an eight-week therapy dog training course conducted by our canine behavior experts. This training is an American Kennel Club-endorsed curriculum for therapy pets. Our Paws for Change roster currently includes nearly fifty certified therapy dog teams, many of which include dogs adopted from our shelters. If you’d like to be on the list for your dog to be evaluated for the next class, please click on the button below.
Paws for Change truly changes lives. “I didn’t think it was going to be that overwhelming for me when I held him [the animal therapy dog], but now I look forward to it every week. When I hug the dog, I feel like somebody cares, and it gives me hope.” – Resident at Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution
Open the door to endless possibilities. Together, we will create positive change within our community, help control the homeless animal population, and improve the lives of pets and their families.
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Join us April 27, 2024 at West Goshen Community Park | 10 am - 1 pm for a 5K color run, a 1K walk led by Fox29’s Sue Serio, and yoga with puppies, live music, vendors, food trucks, a pet costume contest, kid fun zone, a dog lure course, and so much more!
