Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD) Certified Pet Therapy Volunteers Needed in Alameda County

Anchor Health Hospice is seeking Pet Therapy volunteers who have been certified through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs program and who live in Alameda County. If you have a pet therapy animal certified through a different company, feel free to reach out to us too!

Pets provide us with so many wonderful things: A comforting cuddle or touch from a pet can easily make us smile and evoke warm memories. Their affectionate tail wag and little wiggles can relieve stress, create happiness, and help fight feelings of sadness or loneliness. Pets, no doubt, positively impact our quality of life.

Volunteering for Anchor Health will give you an opportunity to truly make a difference in another person's life. In addition to all the joy your pet will bring to a hospice patient, your own smile, attention, and compassionate presence will bring the important gift of connection and affirmation to someone who is in their final phase of life.

To participate as a Certified Pet Therapy Volunteer, it's a requirement that volunteers have their own certified therapy animals. We do not have pet therapy animals available for volunteers, and we do not provide training for pets to become certified for pet therapy. If you and your certified Pet Therapy animal are interested in visiting with Hospice patients, their caregivers and their families, we'd love to have you as a Volunteer.

Volunteers are given assignments that work for them. You tell us how often you'd like to volunteer, and we'll find an assignment that's a good match for you. All of us at Anchor Health value you, your time, and your very generous heart. We are grateful for any amount of time you wish to volunteer, whether that be on-call or occasionally, once a month, once a week, or 8 hours a day. It's always up to you.

How do you get started?

Let us know you're interested, and our Volunteer Coordinator will give you a call! You will receive an orientation to hospice concepts as well as training for your patient visits, and you will be well supported and greatly appreciated by patients, their families, and the entire Anchor Health Hospice team.

We look forward to talking with you!

Warmly,

Maria Castillo

Anchor Health Director of Volunteer Services