Volunteer Forms
FAQs
Are there any restrictions on the size and type of animal for your therapy teams?
Pets on Wheels accepts all animals who pass our Temperament Screening as members of our therapy teams, regardless of breed, size or species, although some facilities may have some restrictions.
Service animals may be cross-certified as therapy pets with Pets on Wheels, however it is up to their handlers to develop a mechanism for indicating to the public and their pet when they are working as a therapy pet and when they are working as a service animal. Therapy pets DO NOT have the same rights and privileges as service animals; those are reserved for when the animal is performing its service function only.
Does Pets on Wheels train or certify service or emotional assistance animals?
Pets on Wheels does not train or certify animals.
If you’re looking for help with training a service dog or understanding emotional support animal requirements, the best place to start is with reputable, in-person trainers and official guidance.
Service dogs are trained for specific tasks, and organizations accredited by Assistance Dogs International (ADI) can help you find qualified programs.
Emotional support animals don’t require certification — just a letter from a licensed mental health professional — and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides clear information about ESA documentation and housing rights.
For general questions about service animal laws, ADA.gov is the most reliable source. These resources help ensure people get accurate, trustworthy information without relying on websites that sell unofficial “certifications.”
Does my pet need to have a health screening before participation as a therapy pet?
Your vet must fully complete the Pet Health Certificate to certify that your pet is healthy, up to date on all required vaccinations, and has a negative annual fecal exam result before your pet can be screened or participate in the program.
For new applicants and new pets, the initial fecal test must be dated within 8 weeks of submitting the Health Certificate.
The Pet Health Certificate must be updated and submitted annually.
This is a condition of Pets on Wheels membership and the continuance of pet therapy visits, as well as attending Pets on Wheels events with your pet.
Can I bring more than one pet for a therapy visit?
We have a one animal per handler policy, although more than one person may accompany a therapy pet on its visits. There are very rare exceptions available for animals with special needs – if this applies to your pet, please contact our Program Director a special exception review.
Is there a particular collar or leash required for a pet visit?
Please note that NO metal collars or leashes are allowed while making therapy visits, including pinch collars, metal martingale collars and leashes with metal chains at the end. This is a safety precaution to ensure that delicate skin is not injured while petting our therapy animals. We recommend cloth collars and leashes (retractable leashes are not allowed due to safety concerns), fabric harnesses or head collars of any type. Metal buckles, snaps and clasps are permitted.
What are the vaccination requirements for my dog or cat?
Our current policy on vaccinations states that rabies and distemper are required for all dogs and cats. We will accept the one or three year rabies vaccination and we will also accept one or three year distemper (if approved by the veterinarian).
Leptospirosis and parainfluenza vaccinations are to be given at the discretion of the veterinarian.
If there is a medical condition or other reason determined by your veterinarian, we can accept annual titers for distemper with a letter from your veterinarian stating why the titers were run and that he or she accepts responsibility for their accuracy.
We cannot accept titers for rabies.
We also require a yearly fecal test. The results must be negative. If the pet tests positive, before a health certificate will be accepted, proof of a negative fecal test is required.
We only accept vaccination information that is documented on the official Pets on Wheels Health Certificate. Records, printouts, or statements from other sources cannot be used in place of the Pets on Wheels form.
What are the vaccination requirements for other species?
Since we accept other species of friendly pets, we will determine health certificate requirements as needed for each particular species.
Please email the appropriate local coordinator for information.
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