Denver Pet Partners does not train animals. We educate the human end of the leash (the Handler) as an animal-assisted intervention (AAI) volunteer for facilities and events in the Denver area.
Included in the Pet Partners training are subjects such as risk management, infection control, engaging with different populations, recognizing stress signs in animals, and advocating for your therapy animal. To become a volunteer therapy animal/handler team, you must first take either an instructor-led Handler Training Class, which is for the handler only (there are no animals in the class) or the Therapy Animal Handler Online Course, which is offered by Pet Partners on their web site. After successful completion of either class, trainees are required to pass an online assessment. You and your animal can then be evaluated in a Team Evaluation, a 22-part skills and aptitude test. After passing the team evaluation, you are ready to register as a therapy animal/handler team with Pet Partners. You must re-evaluate every two years. **Note – DPP is not currently offering the instructor-led Handler Training course due to Covid-19.
You can sign up for the Pet Partners Therapy Animal Handler Online Course and Team Evaluation below. You may also register for the new mini workshop training – Handling Skills for Safe Visits: Preparation for your Team Evaluation and Beyond which is designed to supplement knowledge gained in the online course. Classes and evaluations fill up quickly, so you are encouraged to sign up early. To sign up for the Online Handler Training class, go to https://petpartners.org/learn/online-education/.
Get Started!
- Create a login to the Pet Partners site – www.petpartners.org
- Log in and click Courses and Events. This button will bring you to the Training Center.
- Click Sign Up in the menu bar near the top of the page.
- Choose your course on the left, add it to your cart, and check out to complete the transaction.
Pet Partners® “Volunteering with Your Pet” Course (free)
The “Volunteering With Your Pet” course is an informational session that will introduce you to the Pet Partners therapy animal program. You’ll learn about the work therapy animals and handlers do, the requirements to be a registered handler/animal team, and the process of becoming registered. This class is designed for those who are interested in becoming therapy animal handlers, but all are welcome to attend and you do not need to be local to Denver. The course is FREE and registration is required by going to the Pet Partners Volunteer Center. For questions, please email us at registrations@denverpetpartners.org. This course is offered on a regular basis so please visit this page periodically to see when the next session is scheduled.
This course is being offered on the following dates in 2021 (via Zoom):
- January 9, 2021 (10 a.m. – 12 p.m.)
- March 6, 2021 (10 a.m. – 12 p.m.)
- May 1, 2021 (10 a.m. – 12 p.m.)
Pet Partners® “Handling Skills for Safe Visits” Course (free)
The “Handling Skills for Safe Visits” course is for prospective handlers who have completed the Handler Workshop and are looking for additional preparation before their evaluation. This course focuses on core handling skills and includes some discussion of what to expect at a team evaluation. The course is FREE and registration is required by going to the Pet Partners Volunteer Center. For questions, please email us at registrations@denverpetpartners.org. This course is offered on a regular basis so please visit this page periodically to see when the next session is scheduled.
This course is being offered on the following dates in 2021 (via Zoom):
- January 30, 2021 (1 p.m. – 3 p.m.)
- March 27, 2021 (1 p.m. – 3 p.m.)
- May 22, 2021 (1 p.m. – 3 p.m.)
Pet Partners® Team Evaluations
Denver Pet Partners will be offering Pet Partners Team Evaluations on the following dates:
- Saturday November 7, 2020 (one day only) @ Action Machinery (We apologize for the inconvenience, but these evaluations have been cancelled due to recently announced COVID-19 restrictions.)
Pet Partners evaluations will be held on the following dates in 2021.
- Feb 20-21, 2021 (@Action Machinery, 7790 S Wheeling Court, Englewood)
- Apr 17-18, 2021 (Location TBA)
- June 5-6, 2021 (Location TBA)
- Aug 28-29, 2021 (Location TBA)
- Oct 16-17, 2021 (Location TBA)
- Nov 6-7, 2021 (Location TBA)
Evaluation fee: $25
Click this line to register for an evaluation.