Never Forgotten…
[one-half-first]
Amputee Support Services
Castle Rock Adventist Hospital
Children’s Mercy Hospital (Kansas)
Easter Seals Stroke Daycare Program
Elms Haven Rehabilitation Center
Littleton Adventist Hospital
Medical Center of Aurora
Parker Adventist Hospital
Platte Valley Medical Center
Rocky Mountain Cancer Center (COS)
Rose Medical Center
St. Anthony North Hospital
Shots for Tots (Littleton)
Sky Ridge Medical Center
Swedish Medical Center (flagship program)
Advanced Healthcare of Aurora
Brighton Care Center
Cedars Healthcare Center
Colorado Acute Long Term Hospital
Columbine Care Center
Cottonwood Care Center
Gardens at Columbine
KADEP (King Adult Day Enrichment Program)
Life Care Center of Littleton
Little Sisters of the Poor
Morning Star Adult Day Care
Overland Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (Kansas)
Sterling House of Briargate (Colorado Springs)
Denver Children’s Advocacy Center
Denver Children’s Home
Devereux Colorado
Families First Child Treatment Center
Mount Saint Vincent Home
Night Lights (Waterstone Church)
Night Owls
The Gathering Place
[/one-half-first][one-half]
Anythink Library (Commerce City)
Anythink Library (Huron Street)
Avery Parsons Elementary
Bemis Public Library
Bridge Project at Columbine
Bridge Project at Westwood
Buffalo Trail Elementary
Englewood Public Library
East Library (Colorado Springs)
Fletcher Miller School
Leawood Elementary School (Kansas)
Mental Health Center of Denver (MHCD)
Mission Viejo Elementary
Pine Grove Elementary
Rocky Vista University
Timberline Elementary
Faith Presbyterian Hospice (Dallas)
Namaste Hospice
Shalom Hospice
Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Network
Colorado Mental Health Institute at Fort Logan
[/one-half]
Below is a list of the most common questions we receive. If your question is not answered here, please send a note to info@denverpetpartners.org and we would be glad to help you!
Q: What are the criteria for prospective therapy animals and handlers?
A: Please review the criteria here:
Q: How do I train my animal to be a therapy animal?
A: Socialization and training are key for a good therapy animal, or any pet. Teach your animal to be comfortable with children, adults, senior citizens, and strangers. Introduce your animal to people wearing hats or sunglasses or carrying umbrellas or using walkers or wheelchairs. Take your animal to different locations to train. Many pet stores and feed and farm stores allow animals as do some home improvement stores. There are also many outdoor shopping centers that are pet friendly and some even allow animals in the stores – this allows your animal to become used to a variety or people and other animals. (Always check to make sure your animal is welcome.) Make sure your animal is comfortable being touched by a variety of people and is used to loud noises or strange sights. Your animal must also be able to ignore other animals who are in close proximity.
Some handlers and dogs benefit from basic obedience classes, as the Pet Partners evaluation tests basic skills, such as sit, stay, come, walk nicely on a leash, down, and leave it. Be sure that you, or any trainers you work with, always using positive reinforcement methods. Taking an obedience course also assists with the socialization part of therapy work. We highly suggest that you take the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test. It gives you a good idea of how you and your dog do in a testing situation, and is a good basis on which to build your therapy dog skills.
Q: Does Denver Pet Partners train animals to be therapy animals?
A: No, we train the handler, and the trainer trains his or her own animal with or without help from a trainer.
Q: Can animals other than dogs be therapy animals?
A: Yes, Denver Pet Partners evaluates and accepts for membership any of the species that Pet Partners registers: dogs, cats, equines, rabbits, guinea pigs, llamas and alpacas, birds, pigs, and rats.
Q: Are there breed restrictions?
A: No, but facilities might have restrictions on which breeds or species can visit, and some municipalities do not allow certain breeds in their boundaries. Both purebred and mixed-breed animals can be registered therapy animals.
Q: Is there an age limit for my animal?
A: Your animal must be at least one year of age to be evaluated. There is no upper limit on how old your animal can be, but please consider your animal’s well-being when deciding to volunteer with an older animal. Many visits involve much walking and standing, and being touched by many different people. That can be uncomfortable for an older dog who might have arthritis or other health concerns.
Q: Can my child volunteer with our animal?
A: Children as young as 10 can take our handler’s workshop, but children under 16 must have a parent or guardian take the class with them (both the child and the parent or guardian must enroll for the class and pay for it) and must have a parent or guardian present at their team evaluation. Although those under 18 can become handlers, it might be difficult to find a facility that will allow someone under 18 to volunteer. Anyone under 18 must have their parent or guardian’s permission to participate in training classes or team evaluations.
Q: Can my spouse/partner/child and I volunteer with the same animal?
A: Yes, but each person must take the handler training and each person must pass the team evaluation with the animal. Pet Partners registers animal/handler teams, so each person must be registered with each animal they will volunteer with.
Q: Can I volunteer with more than one animal?
A: Yes, but you must pass the team evaluation with each animal. Pet Partners registers animal/handler teams, so each person must be registered with each animal they will volunteer with.
Q: Do you train, register, or provide service animals?
A: No.
Q: What is the difference between a service animal, an emotional support animal, and a therapy animal?
A: Please refer to this information
Q: Can my animal be a therapy animal if he is fed a raw protein diet?
A: No, any animal fed any raw protein from an animal source, or who lives with an animal who is fed raw protein from an animal source, including beef, chicken, pork, fish, raw eggs, or other domesticated or wild animal meat, cannot participate in the Pet Partners program. This includes raw proteins that are dehydrated, pasteurized (except certain acceptable dairy products), freeze dried, frozen or fresh. It also includes treats such as pig’s ears, raw bones, marrow bones, etc.
Q: What is the cost of becoming a registered therapy animal/handler team?
A: The initial cost ranges between $175 and $225:
Q: What formal training must the handler have?
A: The handler must take either the online handler training class or the in-person workshop and then pass the Pet Partners Handler Course Assessment. In order to evaluate with their animals, handlers must present the Course Completion Certificate.
Q: What is the difference between the online handler training class and the in-person workshop?
A: The online class is offered by Pet Partners. It is a self-guided class that you take at any time. The in-person workshop contains course material selected by Pet Partners but is sponsored by Denver Pet Partners and taught by instructors who are Denver Pet Partners members. The instructors have many years of experience as therapy animal handlers, instructors, and team evaluators and provide insights and information not available in the online class. The workshop is quite interactive – there are many demonstrations of proper handling techniques and of the team evaluation test, a chance to ask questions and get advice, and the opportunity to meet current and future Denver Pet Partners members. Students generally get more out of the workshop than the online class and we highly recommend it. We recommend the online course for those who live too far from an instructor or who cannot attend the workshop on the days it is offered. Please note that the in-person workshop is for people only – you do not bring your animal to the workshop.
Q: Is there a manual?
A: Students receive a copy of the handler’s manual at the in-person workshop. If you take the online class, you must purchase the manual through the Pet Partners web site.
Q: How soon after I take the class can I evaluate with my animal?
A: Denver Pet Partners typically holds evaluations two weeks after each workshop. You can evaluate as soon as this or wait until a later date. It depends on whether or not you think you and your animal are ready to evaluate.
Q: For how long is my training valid?
A: If you do not pass your evaluation within two years of completing the workshop or online course, you must take the class again.
Q: How do I sign up for a workshop or evaluation?
A: You can see a list of future workshops and evaluations, and sign up for them, on this page:
Q: What kinds of things do you test in a team evaluation?
A: The evaluation tests both you and your animal’s aptitude to be a therapy animal team as well as testing the basic skills required to be a team. Both you and are your animal are scored.
You can see a list of the evaluation exercises for dogs here:
You can see a sample score sheet for dogs here:
Q: What is the difference between the Predictable rating and the Complex rating?
A: When you and your animal pass your evaluation, you will receive an overall team rating of either Predictable or Complex. A small percentage of teams receive the Complex rating, which indicates they may be suitable to work in more complex settings and situations. Complex settings are those where the facility population itself is unpredictable due to physical and/or emotional challenges, the facility is loud and crowded, and/or staff participation is limited. Regardless of your rating, when considering where to volunteer, keep in mind your abilities and comfort level in different situations as well as your animal’s.
Q: What happens if I do not pass my evaluation?
A: If you or your animal do not pass one of the exercises in the evaluation (both you and your animal are scored), you will be scored Not Ready (N/R) and can evaluate again as soon as the next day (if there is room in the evaluation schedule) or at a future evaluation. There is no limit on the number of times you can evaluate, but you will have to sign up for and pay a registration fee for each future evaluation. Our evaluators will tell you why you were scored N/R and help you understand what you need to work on to be successful at a future evaluation. You will also receive a copy of your score sheet so you can see how you and your animal were scored on each exercise.
If your animal is not suitable to be a therapy animal or you are not suitable to be a handler, you will receive a Not Appropriate (NA) rating and cannot evaluate again. It is very rare for a team to receive this rating.
Q: How long does an evaluation take?
A: Evaluations are scheduled every 45 minutes throughout the day, but typically do not take that long.
Q: Can I sign up for a specific evaluation time?
A: Evaluations are held on selected weekends throughout the year. You sign up for a weekend but can request Saturday or Sunday, AM or PM, for your evaluation. We attempt to schedule you at your requested time but cannot always do so, so we ask that you be available all weekend. We will email you your scheduled time one week before the evaluation.
Q: What paperwork do I need to bring to my team evaluation?
A: You must bring your completed Handler’s Questionnaire (you can obtain a blank version on the Pet Partners site); a completion certificate from the online class or in-person workshop (if you’ve lost your certificate you can request a new one on the Pet Partners site); and a rabies vaccination certificate or an invoice from your vet showing that your animal is up to date on his or her rabies vaccination. A rabies tag alone is not sufficient, nor is an Animal Health Screening form that states the animal is up-to-date on his vaccinations. You do not need to bring the Animal Health Screening form to the evaluation. You will submit that form to Pet Partners after you have passed your evaluation.
Q: When should I have my Animal Health Screening form filled out by my veterinarian?
A: You do not need to bring your health screening form to your evaluation. You will not need this form until you have passed your evaluation and are submitting your paperwork to Pet Partners. Some handlers chose to have this form completed by their vet before the evaluation and others wait until they have passed their evaluation.
Q: What else do I need to bring to my evaluation?
A: There is equipment you must bring to the evaluation. If you do not bring this equipment you cannot be evaluated. You can find the list of required items here:
Q: What kind of equipment can my animal wear for the evaluation and when volunteering?
A: You can find a list of acceptable equipment here
Q: What happens after I pass my team evaluation?
A: After you pass your evaluation, our evaluators will upload your scores to the Pet Partners web site. You must submit your required documents to Pet Partners on their web site. Go to www.PetPartners.org and sign in to the Volunteer Center. From there, you can view your active registrations and submit the paperwork for your animal. You will need to submit your scoresheet (we will give you a copy of this at the completion of your evaluation) , Animal Health Screening form (a blank form can be obtained in the Volunteer Center on the Pet Partners site), and a photo of you and your animal for your Pet Partners ID.
If you join Denver Pet Partners, you will receive a discount on your Pet Partners registration fee. When you join DPP, you will be provided with DPP’s Community Partner Organization number, which will allow you to receive the discounted Pet Partners registration rate.
Q: What happens after I submit my paperwork?
A: Pet Partners will review your paperwork and request payment when your paperwork has been approved. When you have received final approval and are an officially registered team, you will receive a letter through email. You can then start visiting as a volunteer and can use the letter as your ID until your permanent Pet Partners ID arrives in the mail a few weeks later.
Q: How can I order a vest for my animal?
A: If you are a DPP member, you can order a DPP vest for your animal through the DPP website. Log in to the Member Portal to access the vest order form. A vest is not required but many facilities require them and most handlers chose to order a vest for dogs and larger animals. All animals receive a Pet Partners collar tag, which must be worn on a collar or harness when volunteering.
Q: How can I order a Denver Pet Partners shirt for myself?
A: If you are a DPP member, you can order a DPP shirt through the DPP website. Log in to the Member Portal to access the Member Store.
Q: At what facilities do Denver Pet Partners members volunteer?
A: Our volunteers work at many facilities in the metro Denver area and other locations in Colorado. You can see a list of facilities here
Q: How can I find someplace to volunteer with my animal?
A: When you become a DPP member, we can help you find a place to volunteer based on your interests, location, and animal’s abilities. As soon as you are a DPP member, we can arrange for you to shadow a member with their animal at one of the facilities where we volunteer.
Q: How much of a time commitment do I have to make to volunteer?
A: Different facilities and programs have different time requirements. Many prefer that you visit once per week (for a maximum of two hours) but some offer the opportunity to visit once or twice a month. There are also one-time opportunities to visit places like college campuses or community events.
Q: Can I volunteer at more than one facility?
A: You can, but we ask that you follow Pet Partners guidelines and volunteer with your animal for no more than two hours per day. Please consider your animal’s well-being when determining where to volunteer and how often to volunteer. Volunteering many days each week can have more of an effect on your animal than you initially realize.
Q: Do I have to go through any additional screening or testing to volunteer with my animal?
A: Facilities create policies for their volunteers. For example, some may require a background check, TB test, or flu shot, or require you to attend volunteer orientation at the facility.
Q: What equipment will my animal wear when volunteering?
A: Pet Partners requires your animal to wear a Pet Partners collar tag when volunteering. (You will receive this tag when you pass your evaluation and register with Pet Partners.) Most handlers chose to order a vest for their dog or larger animals and many facilities require therapy animals to wear a vest or bandana that identifies the animal as a therapy animal. Denver Pet Partners has their own vest for members’ animals.
There is a list of acceptable equipment that describes acceptable collars, leashes, and harness. You can review the list here:
Please note that animals cannot wear costumes or clothing when volunteering. They may wear a decorative bandanna.
Q: Do I need to wear special clothing when volunteering?
A: Many facilities have policies about what clothing volunteers must wear. For example, most hospitals provide a hospital volunteer shirt and require you to wear khaki (chino) pants. Open-toed shoes, sandals, shorts, sleeveless shirts, etc. are never appropriate when volunteering with your animal. Jeans are usually not appropriate but are permitted in certain situations. If you are volunteering at a facility that does not provide a shirt, we ask that you wear a Denver Pet Partners shirt.
Q: What is the difference between Pet Partners and Denver Pet Partners?
A: Pet Partners is the national organization that registers therapy animal/handler teams. They develop the training materials for handler training classes and set standards for team evaluations, register instructors and team evaluators, and provide liability insurance to registered teams. They also provide online trainer for prospective and current handlers.
Denver Pet Partners (DPP) is a Community Partner Organization (CPO) of Pet Partners. DPP provides support to teams working in the metro Denver area and other areas of Colorado. DPP holds training workshops and team evaluations, manages programs at a variety of facilities in the Denver area, provides support to its members, and provides an additional one million dollars of liability insurance to its members. DPP receives no financial support from Pet Partners and all of the work done by DPP is done by volunteers, not paid employees.
Q: What is the difference between Pet Partners and other therapy animal organizations?
A: Pet Partners sets high standards for their therapy animal/handler teams. They require handlers to take a training class and pass a comprehensive evaluation with their animals before they can be a registered team. Handlers must be re-evaluated with their animals every two years to remain registered.
Q: Why do I have to be registered with Pet Partners if I have already trained with another therapy animal organization?
A: If you plan on volunteering at a facility that requires teams to be registered with Pet Partners, you must take the Pet Partners training workshop (or online class) and be evaluated by a Pet Partners evaluator. Pet Partners training and evaluations are generally more extensive than those of other therapy animal organizations, and you cannot be registered with Pet Partners without going through the training and evaluation. Any training or registration you have received from a different organization does not qualify you to be registered with Pet Partners.
Q: Can I attend a DPP meeting even if I am not a member?
A: Yes, we welcome guests at our meetings. You can find the date and location of future meetings on our web site on the Events Calendar.
Q: For how long is my Pet Partners registration valid?
A: Your registration is valid for two years. After that time (or before that time is up), you must re-evaluate with your animal and submit your paperwork to Pet Partners again. Your registration expiration date is on your Pet Partners ID.
Q: For how long is my DPP membership valid?
A: DPP memberships are valid for one year. You must renew your membership every year to be a member in good standing and remain on our email distribution list.
Q: Do I need to take the training class again to renew my Pet Partners registration?
A: If your registration expired more than two years ago, you will need to take the class again.
Q: How do I sign up for a team evaluation to renew my registration?
A: You can see a list of future workshops and evaluations, and sign up for them, here:
Q: My animal and I are already registered with Pet Partners and now I’d like to register a new animal. What do I do?
A: You must evaluate with your new animal and then submit the animal’s paperwork to Pet Partners.
Q: What kinds of things should I work on with my animal for our re-evaluation?
A: You can find some tips for being successful at your re-evaluation here:
Q: How Do I Arrange for a Therapy Dog Visit at My Facility or Home?
A: Unfortunately, we cannot make visits to private homes or perform one-of visits to facilities at which we do not have a program. To arrange a facility visit, contact Susan Horecki, Program Director, SusanHorecki@DenverPetPartners.org
Alexandra MacLean, M.A., BSc SPQ
Forensic Nurse
State Hospitals Board for Scotland, Carstairs, Scotland
Alexandra Maclean (M.A., Diploma in Nursing (Mental Health), BSc SPQ (Forensic Nursing)) has worked as a nurse in Forensic Mental Health for 16 years and is based in The State Hospital, Carstairs, Scotland, which is the sole provider of high secure care for Scotland and Northern Ireland. She currently leads teams in the vocational areas of the hospital, which includes the Animal Assisted Therapy Centre. The centre aims to provide patients with opportunities to participate in activity, interact with others and achieve objectives as a part of their overall treatment plan while detained in the hospital.She has been instrumental in the expansion of this area to include farm animals, and the regular visits of dogs to the centre. Alexandra is particularly interested in the way animals can assist those experiencing mental health problems, and is exploring ways of improving the assessment of interventions.Alexandra is a Fellow of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, and travelled to Australia and extensively in the US with the aim of improving the care for patients in The State Hospital in the area of AAT. A second aim was to examine ways of improving the rehabilitation pathway for patients.
She has also been involved in assisting other areas set up animal therapy units, and published a booklet to illustrate the work that takes place at The State Hospital.
Allie Phillips, JD
Former Prosecuting Attorney
Human-Animal Interaction Legal Expert
Co-Founder, Therapy Animals Supporting Kids (TASK)
Allie Phillips is a nationally recognized human-animal interaction attorney, former prosecuting attorney, educator and author who was honored in 2015 as a Top Defender of Animals. She is the former Director and creator of the National Center for Prosecution of Animal Abuse and Deputy Director of the National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse, programs at the National District Attorneys Association. She has significant prosecution experience as a former Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Michigan, and has been training prosecutors and criminal justice professionals since 1997. She has conducted hundreds of trainings nationally and internationally, and authored over 50 professional publications, including two published books. Previously, she was the Vice President of Public Policy and then Vice President of Human-Animal Strategic Initiatives for American Humane Association where she worked on legislative issues and developed national initiatives on human-animal interactions, including co-creating the Therapy Animals Supporting Kids (TASK)™ Program. She is also the Founder of Sheltering Animals & Families Together (SAF-T)™ which is the first national (and now international) initiative to house families and pets together after violence.
Ms. Phillips is a nationally recognized expert on therapy animals in the criminal justice system, the linkages between violence to animals and people, animal protection issues, and is an award-winning book author. Her work has been featured on The Today Show, in The Washington Post, USA Today, Denver Post, Cat Fancy Magazine, Chatelaine Magazine (Canada), Colorado Public Radio, Washington Public Radio, and dozens of national animal radio talk shows including NPR’s Dog Talk radio, Talkin’ Pets radio, and The Real Dr. Doolittle radio show.
Ms. Phillips volunteers her time with these organizations: advisor to the Association of Professional Humane Educators, executive board of the National Coalition on Violence Against Animals, advisory group of the National Law Enforcement Center on Animal Abuse, steering committee of the National Link Coalition, member of the State Bar of Michigan’s Animal Law Section, co-creator of Michiganders for Shelter Pets, advisor for White Coat Waste Project, and is a volunteer at Capital Area Humane Society and past-president of King Street Cats. Learn more about her work at www.alliephillips.com.
Dianne Bell
Immediate Past Chair, Denver Pet Partners
Dianne Bell recently retired after 21 years with Pet Partners (formerly Delta Society) in her role as Manager of Pet Partners Therapy Animal Program’s Curriculum & Standards. Dianne worked with many facets of the program; facilities, volunteers, subject matter experts, visiting scholars, committees and Board members.Through previous experience she draws on her contract administrator work, health and wellness, instructional design/training analysis, CERT training and therapy animal involvement to apply and assist wherever is needed. She has served as a member of IAHAIO’s International Conference planning and program committee.
Dimitriy Levin, MD
Director, Hospitalist Oncology Service
Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Colorado Hospital Medicine Group
Dimitriy Levin is a hospitalist at University of Colorado Hospital. In 2011, he created the Oncology Hospitalist Service that specializes in caring for hospitalized patients with advanced cancers. Dimitriy fostered a multidisciplinary team that emphasizes all aspects of patient and family care to deliver the best possible hospital experience and quality of life after discharge. Dimitriy championed bringing Animal Assisted Activity programs to the oncology unit at UCH.In addition to clinical duties, Dimitriy trains internal medicine residents to care for patients with complex medical oncological illnesses and he has authored several textbook chapters on hospital medicine topics. Dimitriy received his medical degree from University of Colorado and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychobiology from Swarthmore College.
Jerry Yager, Psy.D.
Director of Programs, Denver Children’s Advocacy Center
Jerry Yager or “Dr. Jerry” has more than 30 years of experience in the assessment and treatment of neglected, abused and traumatized children. He joined the Denver Children’s Advocacy Center in 2011 to pursue his passion of educating professionals who work with children about the impact of abuse and neglect on the developing brain. Dr. Jerry leads DCAC’s far-reaching initiative to provide training and consultation to the professionals who work with traumatized children in many different capacities—therapists, social workers, educators, foster/adoptive parents, law enforcement officers, investigators and victim advocates—to help them understand the often difficult behaviors of child abuse victims and learn to provide appropriate and effective interventions that ameliorate rather than exacerbate the trauma. Dr. Jerry and his training team conduct workshops and provide individual and organizational consultation throughout Colorado and nationally.Dr. Jerry is a ChildTrauma fellow with the ChildTrauma Academy. Before joining DCAC, Dr. Jerry was the Executive Director of the Denver Children’s Home for nine years. He has served as president of the Colorado Association of Families and Children’s Agencies (CAFCA), was a member of the Governors Child Care Licensing Advisory Committee and Colorado’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Systems Redesign Committee, and also served on the Kempe Children’s Center Perpetration Prevention Study Group. Dr. Jerry is frequently called as an expert witness in cases of child abuse, and has been asked to testify many times in front of Colorado State Legislature on the treatment, education and care of children in the child welfare system. DR. Jerry was recently nominated to join the Colorado Court Improvement Program and serves on the steering committee for redesigning Colorado’s Systems of Care. Dr. Jerry received his Doctorate in Psychology from Nova University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Colorado.
Melissa Smith
Professional Dog Trainer
Master Guide Dog Mobility Instructor
Melissa began raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind at the age of 14. She knew by the age of 16, that she was destined to become a Guide Dog Mobility Instructor. After raising 8 puppies, Melissa began her career at Guide Dogs For The Blind in San Rafael, CA. She worked her way up to Master Guide Dog Mobility Instructor (GDMI) over a 15 year period and was very lucky to be within an organization that provided in depth continuing education from all over the world. Melissa was also privileged to travel the country and work with guide dog clients in many diverse environments. She was honored to spend 6 months working at Guide Dogs Queensland in Australia, furthering her international experience.After work related injuries ended her career as a guide dog instructor, Melissa has furthered her knowledge in dog behavior by teaching agility and obedience to a wide variety of clients. Canine nutrition is also something she’s very passionate about and incorporates this in her overall holistic approach in working with dogs. Melissa has been raising and showing Mastiffs for the last 15 years and also continues to raise guide dog puppies for Guiding Eyes for the Blind in New York. If she ever does have free time and the weather is nice, she loves to ride her road bike!
Michael E. Tieman, M.D., FACS
Chairman, Department of Specialty Medicine, Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Dr. Michael Tieman is a general surgeon who retired from clinical practice in 2006. He is currently the Chairman of the Department of Specialty Medicine at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Parker, Colorado. Dr. Tieman and his wife, Linda, have been engaged in Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI) work with their golden retrievers, Dillon and Darby for over six years. They began the AAI program at Medical Center of the Rockies in January, 2008, and continue to make weekly visits there. Linda recently joined the Pet Partners program at Sky Ridge Hospital, and Dr. Tieman has initiated an AAI program at Rocky Vista University for the medical students and staff.
Philip Tedeschi, MSW
Clinical Professor, University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work
Some of Philip Tedeschi’s best friends are animals. He has studied and teaches about the intricate relationship between people, domestic and wild animals and the natural world. Philip Tedeschi is a Clinical Professor at the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver and is Director of The Institute for Human-Animal Connection. He also coordinates the school’s Animal-Assisted Social Work Certificate program for Master of Social Work (MSW) students, as well as the global Animals and Human Health professional development certificate program.
Randa MacMillan, DVM
Immediate Past President, Colorado Veterinary Medical Association
Dr. MacMillan has been active in the veterinary community for over 30 years, serving as every position on the Denver Area Veterinary Medical Society Board of Directors including President. She is the immediate past president of the Colorado Veterinary Medical Association. After purchasing Arapahoe Veterinary Hospital in 1990, she operated it until her recent retirement. Dr. MacMillan has been active with the Children’s Hospital Prescription Pets Program for over a decade, providing health and behavioral screening for the dogs involved in the program. Having raised a Guide Dog with one of her daughters, she became involved with Guide Dogs for the Blind serving as a group leader and providing pro bono work for working Guide Dogs in the Littleton area. Dr. MacMillan has served as a veterinarian at the Iditarod and travels to Mexico annually to provide free veterinary services at a spay/neuter clinic.Dr. MacMillan received her Bachelor of Science degree from Colorado State University, a Masters degree from University of Colorado, and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from CSU.
The event in August 2001 sparked a flame that continues to burn brightly almost 20 years later. Diana and her first therapy dog, Shana, attended a ceremony on the steps of the Capitol building commemorating Denver as the Pet Healthiest City in the nation as voted on by the Purina 21 Consortium. Linda Hines, the then CEO of Delta Society (now known as Pet Partners), invited Diana to lunch afterward and the discussion revolved around the need for increasing the awareness of the power of the human-animal bond, explicitly growing the field of animal-assisted therapy in Denver. The spark ignited in Diana’s heart and mind. The concept for Denver Pet Partners (DPP) was born.
Over the next 14 years, Diana worked tirelessly growing and nurturing Denver Pet Partners from one animal-handler team visiting at one facility, to over 200 volunteer animal-handler teams serving over 50 diverse facilities in the healthcare, education, and child welfare fields. By 2015, DPP volunteers were selflessly contributing over 30,000 hours per year and impacting over 120,000 lives annually in acute and long-term care settings, hospice, special education classrooms, mental health centers, rehabilitation clinics, group homes, homeless shelters, and support groups throughout metro Denver. Licensed DPP instructors and evaluators taught over 75 training workshops to approximately 1500 adult students (volunteers and healthcare professionals), including train-the-trainer, with an emphasis on service delivery excellence and assessed over 1,500 therapy animal teams for skill and aptitude to perform therapy work.
In 2007, DPP forged a strategic partnership with the American Humane Association (AHA). For the next four years, with Diana continuing to lead Denver Pet Partners as a pivotal program of the AHA, this alliance enabled a tremendously influential and positive national expansion of awareness of the power of the human-animal bond and the value of animal-assisted programs. Now a recognized expert in the field of AAI, Diana developed curriculum designed to educate volunteers and healthcare professionals on effectively integrating animals as part of the therapeutic treatment team; and regularly presented at national and international conferences. During this time in DPP’s history, Diana co-created the national program Therapy Animals Supporting Kids (T.A.S.K.), which provides guidance for criminal justice and child welfare professionals on how to effectively incorporate therapy animals without compromising the safety of the children or animals, or negatively affecting a civil or criminal case involving child abuse. Endorsed by the NDAA (National District Attorney’s Association) and the National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse, TASK became a nationally recognized program.
During Diana’s 14-year tenure leading DPP, she was an active practitioner, regularly serving as an animal-handler team most notably with Shana, her precious Golden Retriever with whom she started DPP and Rigo, her beloved Black Lab with whom she partnered until his retirement at age 13. Her AAT focus and experience was primarily in rehabilitation, specifically communicative disorders and working with patients to stimulate cognitive functioning. A member of Pet Partners national from 1998 – 2015, Diana has served as a licensed Master Instructor, Evaluator, AAT Applications Instructor, and registered therapy team. Diana also served as the Treasurer on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations (IAHAIO).
Retiring from DPP and the field of AAI in 2015, Diana now holds a faculty position at the University of Denver/University College in the Leadership and Organizations graduate degree program, teaching Leadership Development and Strategic Organizational Partnerships. Her dedication to enhancing the human-animal bond continues as an ardent supporter of, and volunteer for Guide Dogs for the Blind as both a puppy raiser and member of the Board of Directors.
“It has been my privilege and honor to have had such an active role in the field of animal-assisted interventions for so many years. I am grateful for the extraordinary individuals it has been my pleasure to serve with and for the amazing human-animal teams who impact others’ lives so selflessly through their compassion and dedication. DPP will always hold a very special place in my heart. I am immensely thankful to all of you who continue to carry on the legacy and important work of DPP, and for your ongoing commitment to the ethical values on which it was created. Keep the DPP flame burning bright and keep helping to build healthier communities!” (Diana McQuarrie)
At Denver Pet Partners, our volunteers serve diverse populations of people with any of the nine species of animals we register. We are committed to creating a volunteer work force that is representative of the populations we serve. We welcome unique perspectives and experiences in terms of national origin, culture, socioeconomic background, ethnicity, race, color, sex, gender identity and expression, education, age, languages spoken, veteran status, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and beliefs, which help us strengthen our impact in our community.
Denver Pet Partners
P.O. Box 271505
Littleton, CO 80127
720.556.3434