About 1 — Pet Therapy of the Ozarks

Our Mission

Bring smiles and joy, to the faces of patients, staff, families, friends, and groups in nursing homes, hospitals, schools, and other facilities in our community by certifying and supporting loving pet therapy teams.

Who We Are

Pet Therapy of the Ozarks is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit Missouri Corporation organized in 1991 to provide emotional therapy visits to hospitals, nursing homes, group homes, schools, and other facilities. We are a volunteer organization and no one is ever charged for our services. Our volunteers’ pets pass a manners and temperament evaluation test to qualify. These “teams” are then placed in approved facilities to make scheduled visits. All our handlers/pets are insured.

What We Do

Pet Therapy of the Ozarks trains volunteers and their pets to become certified therapy dog teams. Teams serve as ambassadors of love and good cheer during their visits to nursing homes, hospitals, assisted living facilities, schools and libraries in the Springfield, Missouri area.

We ask our volunteers to make a regular visit to an approved facility at least once a month and to participate in our evaluation activities. In addition to scheduled monthly visits, there are many opportunities to make special visits upon request.

We are not equipped to train and/or certify Service Dogs nor Emotional Support Animals. We also do not certify animals to go daily to schools, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, or businesses.