Pet Therapy Visits

Outreach Programs - Pet Therapy Visits

Seniors and pets, a perfect combination! The Toledo Area Humane Society prides itself on being involved in the community, as well as having a positive impact on the lives of both animals and people in our community.  Our Pet Therapy Visit Program offers to do just that.  Our TAHS volunteers are currently providing regular pet visits to over 30 area nursing homes, rehab facilities, and adult daycare facilities.  This program has proven to be beneficial in many ways, not only to the seniors we visit, but to our volunteers and our shelter animals as well.  

Pet visits give seniors an opportunity to spend time interacting with animals.  For many, this is their only contact with animals due to their current living situation.  Many of the seniors we visit enjoy the interaction not only with the animal visitor, but also with our volunteers.  The pet visitor often brings back fond memories of pets the residents have had in the past, and they enjoy being able to talk to our volunteers about their past pets.  Many of our volunteers find the greatest reward to be the smiles that abound when they enter the facility with a cute puppy, kitten or dog looking for attention.  It is truly an uplifting experience to watch a face light up when an animal is placed in someone's lap. Our volunteers often hear comments from nursing home staff such as "we haven't seen her smile like that in weeks" or "He's been so sick lately. Thanks for cheering him up". Comments like these make visits all worthwhile.  

Studies have shown that owning a pet improves the quality of life for seniors.  Supporting statistics also show that people who own pets tend to live longer.  When owning a pet is not possible, pet visits can be the next best thing. 

Pet visits also benefit the animals here at the Toledo Area Humane Society.  The program gives shelter animals the opportunity to get out of the kennel for a little bit and receive some extra one-on-one attention, which is good for their well-being during their stay at TAHS. The socialization is also beneficial, making them more adoptable and improving their chances for a quicker adoption.

If you are interested in having a Pet Visit at your nursing home, adult daycare or rehabilitation facility, please contact Mary Moser at 419-891-1561 or via This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . 

If you are interested in becoming a TAHS volunteer to do Pet Therapy Visits, please visit our Volunteer Opportunities page.