Pets As Therapy

Pets As Therapy Volunteers are able to purchase official merchandise to wear while on visits or at events. You can also buy a PAT Dog jacket, bandana and lead, as well as a PAT Cat harness.

You are not required to wear any official Pets As Therapy clothing, but you must always display your ID badge while on visits. If you are to appear in a publicity or National Office event, you and your pet may be asked to wear official merchandise with our Pets As Therapy logo.

Click on VISIT OUR SHOP below to browse our collection of official merchandise for both you and your pet.

We are sorry but only registered PAT Volunteers are able to purchase branded items from our shop.

Visit our Shop

Send us your photos today.

We want to celebrate the work of our dedicated volunteers — and encourage more pet owners to join our PAT community — so we’re asking PAT Volunteers to capture their visits on camera. We can’t wait to see our fantastic PAT Teams doing what they do best.

Email a photo to competition@petsastherapy.org putting Paws on the floor in the subject line. Please include your full name, your pet’s name and age, and tell us the name and postcode of the establishment you visit. Thank you.

Images should be clear and in focus, and preferably landscape. Please get permission from everyone who appears in the photo and let them know that the images may be used for publicity and marketing purposes by Pets As Therapy. You will need permission (preferably written) from parents before taking photos of children. Also remember your PAT Pet must be on a lead that is clearly being held.

Pets As Therapy is a national charity that was founded in 1983 by Lesley Scott-Ordish, a dog owner and passionate volunteer who understood the amazing bond between humans and animals. Today our vision is to ensure that everyone in the UK, no matter their circumstances, has access to the companionship of a friendly pet.

We strive to enhance health and wellbeing in the community through the visits of dedicated volunteers with their temperament assessed pets. We have over 4,000 volunteers who provide a visiting service in hospitals, hospices, residential nursing homes, day care centres, mainstream and special needs schools, prisons and other establishments across the UK.

Therapeutic visits by PAT Teams can bring comfort and companionship to people living in local communities who may feel isolated and lonely, help young people to improve their literacy and concentration in the classroom and can aid a patient's recovery, rehabilitation and help improve mental health and wellbeing.

Pets As Therapy endeavours to visit and help wherever there is a need for our volunteering service. We believe:

Those in care should be able to maintain a relationship with a pet.
Everyone with a mental or physical health problem should have access to a pet if they wish.
Every child has the right to leave school achieving their reading level potential.
Every child with special needs should have the opportunity to interact with a pet and develop a bond if they wish.
Those with memory problems should be shown dignity and respect and encouraged to retell stories of pets from their past.
People in prison should be given the same benefits as other service users — dogs provide non-judgemental positive regard to all.
People at the end of their life should have access to a pet if that is their wish.

"Some people like to give Ghillie a treat, others enjoy having a chat about the dogs they’ve owned in the past. Volunteers have to be understanding, and good listeners." Nick (PAT Volunteer)

Document Downloads

Here are a few documents you might find useful.

Summary of Activity 2023/24

"Some people like to give Ghillie a treat, others enjoy having a chat about the dogs they’ve owned in the past. Volunteers have to be understanding, and good listeners." Nick (PAT Volunteer)

Document Downloads

Here are a few documents you might find useful.

Summary of Activity 2023/24

Watch this space for the latest Pets As Therapy news – we’ll share your volunteering and fundraising stories and keep you informed of any Charity updates.

We would also love to hear from you. If you are organising an event or would like to share your story and photos, please email us by clicking the button below.

EMAIL US

Pets As Therapy (PAT) is a fully self-supporting charity helping thousands of people in communities across the UK each week. We rely solely on the hard work of our visiting volunteers, the generosity of fundraisers and the support of corporate sponsors.

Please consider making a one-off or regular monthly donation – please remember to Gift Aid it – or you may wish to leave a legacy gift to Pets As Therapy in your will. You could also fundraise on our behalf. Every pound donated will help us to continue our visits and will ensure that everyone in the UK, no matter their circumstances, has access to the companionship of an animal.

£3 will pay for a one-off visit.
£6 will pay for 2 PAT visits.
£30 will pay for 25 PAT visits.
£120 will pay for 40 PAT visits

Do you work at a hospital, residential care home or school in the UK which could benefit from Pets As Therapy visits?

Pets As Therapy visiting volunteers and their pets bring comfort and companionship to people living in residential care who may feel isolated, confused and lonely. We support schools to help young people improve their literacy skills and encourage confidence and concentration in the classroom. Our hospital visits can aid a patient’s recovery and rehabilitation and help improve mental health and wellbeing.

We are regularly contacted by organisations who are taking part in mental health awareness programmes and staff wellbeing initiatives and want to include Pets As Therapy as part of their support networks.

Regrettably, for insurance purposes, we are not able to visit individuals in their own home/private residence.

To register to receive visits from a PAT volunteer, please click on the button below.

If you would like to volunteer for Pets As Therapy with your dog or cat, please click the relevant button below to submit your application.

Pets As Therapy Volunteers are dedicated pet owners who give up their spare time to help others. Along with their dog or cat, volunteers visit all types of establishments including residential care homes, hospitals, hospices and both special needs and main stream schools.

Our volunteers and their pets bring comfort and companionship to people living in residential care homes who may feel isolated, confused and lonely. We support schools to help young people improve their literacy skills and encourage confidence and concentration in the classroom. Our hospital visits can aid a patient’s recovery and rehabilitation and help improve mental health and wellbeing.

All of our volunteers matter to us and we thank you for the support that you give our charity.

If you are a PAT Volunteer, thank you for your ongoing support. To access your account, click the MyPAT button above. Your Username will be the email address that you registered with. Your Password is the one you set when first logging in. You can request to set a new Password if necessary.

Apply with your Dog Apply with your Cat

Online Shop

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Let’s capture PAT visits on camera

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About Us

Document Downloads

Document Downloads

Watch our Video

Watch our Video

Meet the Team

Meet the Team

Meet the Trustees

Meet the Trustees

Meet our PAT Ambassadors

Meet our PAT Ambassadors

Press and Media

Press and Media

Work with Us

Work with Us

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News and Events

PAT Stories

PAT Stories

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Support Pets As Therapy

Donate

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Fundraising

Fundraising

Leave a Gift in Your Will

Leave a Gift in Your Will

Corporate Partnerships

Corporate Partnerships

The Olaf Books

The Olaf Books

Agria Lifetime Pet Insurance

Agria Lifetime Pet Insurance

Sign up to Walk this May

Sign up to Walk this May

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Information for Establishments

Schools

Schools

Care Homes

Care Homes

Hospitals

Hospitals

Prisons

Prisons

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Become a PAT Volunteer

Apply with your Dog

Apply with your Dog

Apply with your Cat

Apply with your Cat

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