Who Is Annie's Therapeutic Companions?
Annie's Therapeutic Companions is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit volunteer organization consisting of Pet Partners registered Animal Therapy teams, based out of Dublin, Texas. Our organization is run by volunteers who love people and animals, who own and train their own animals, and want to serve the public by utilizing them. ATC teams consist of a handler and dog or other animal who have been extensively trained to offer consistent, safe attention to those in our care. All of the registered teams in our organization are also extensively trained to help in crisis situations and have an additional certification from Pet Partners in Animal Assisted Crisis Response.
Pet Partners is the leading national nonprofit organization for Animal Therapy. Each animal has passed a rigorous Pet Partners test of obedience and willingness to serve. Each handler has passed a thorough Pet Partners evaluation of effective communication, professionalism, and are found capable to work with and guide their animals in various situations.
AACR is a form of animal-assisted activities (AAA) which provides comfort to those who have been affected by natural, human-caused, or technological disasters. AACR does not take the place of professional interventions, but provides support in the immediate wake of a crisis through listening, empathy, and sharing the unconditional love of a therapy animal. AACR can be effective for everyone affected by the impact of a crisis, including first responders and crisis management staff.
AACR is effective because the safety, familiarity, novelty, and interest in the animal have been found to be impactful when building rapport with a person affected by crisis. The therapy animal team can offer comfort, reduce anxiety, and provide the opportunity for contact and engagement, and when needed, connect a client to emergency personnel and professionals for additional assistance.
We are proud to announce that ALL of our Pet Partners registered teams have received further training and have their Animal Assisted Crisis Response Certification.