Please read through all of the following information before contacting us about becoming a registered Pet Partner.

Pet Partners Benefits
As a Pet Partner, you will receive:
-Delta Society membership and Interactions magazine, which includes a section for Pet Partners.
-$1 million primary liability insurance.
-Identification badge for handler and collar tag for animal.
-Referral to facilities searching for Pet Partners teams.
-Exclusive offers on Pet Partners accessories.
-Eligibility for regional and national awards.
-Opportunity to network with other Pet Partners teams.
-Access to licensed Evaluators and Instructors as local resources.
-Support from the Delta Society office. As a registered Pet Partner, you'll also have the satisfaction of knowing you are helping people in need in your own community.

Prerequisites for the Person
The person handling the animal (handlers) must be at least 10 years old. Handlers younger than 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and must have written permission to participate from a parent or guardian. People who do not have an animal may also register as Pet Partners  

Prerequisites for the Animal
All animals except birds must have lived in the owner's home for at least 6 months. Birds must have lived in the owner's home for at least 1 year.
All animals except "pocket pets" must be at least 1 year at the time the animal is evaluated. Pocket pets (e.g., guinea pigs, rabbits, rats, etc.) must be at least 6 months at the time the animal is evaluated.
Dogs trained to aggressively protect and/or encouraged to actively bite, even as a component of a dog sport (e.g., bite work that is part of Schutzhund) may not be Pet Partners.

Step 1: Pet Partners Team Training Course
Learn the skills needed to visit safely with your animal in hospitals, nursing homes, classrooms, and other facilities. Successful completion of this course, in instructor-led or home-study format, is required for registration as a Pet Partner.

Topics include:
Selecting and preparing animals for visits.
Identifying and decreasing stress in animals.
Animal health and safety.
Special needs of client groups.
Interacting with special people.
Facility health and safety codes.
Patient confidentiality. Complete the course in one of the 2 formats offered:

Attend a workshop. The Pet Partners Team Training Course is usually presented as a fast-paced day-long (8 hours), hands-on course. Some instructors present the course over more than one day, an hour or so each day. Students receive a copy of the popular Pet Partners Team Training Course Manual and practice visiting skills. Courses are scheduled throughout the year in locations all over the country. All workshops are taught by Delta-licensed instructors.

Complete the home study course. For handlers who prefer to study on their own or cannot attend a workshop, Delta offers a home study version of the Pet Partners Team Training Course. The course includes a student guide with suggestions for activities that will help handlers learn the necessary skills, a video, and registration materials.

Registration Packet Contents:

The following forms are included in the Registration Packet:
Photo ID Form – we use this information on your identification badge. Be sure to print or type the information to avoid any errors on your ID badge. If you belong to a group and wish to have the name of the group on the badge, please include it. If you do not want your full name and city/state on the badge, please let us know. Make sure to send the required photos, too.

Application Form – we use this information for our records and processing.
Volunteer Policies and Procedures Agreement Form – review your Pet Partners team responsibilities as outlined in the Pet Partners Team Training Course Manual. Sign and date this form. If you are under 18 a parent or legal guardian must also sign this form.

Volunteer Review – the questions review the important material covered in the Pet Partners Team Training Course. Take your time and work at your own pace. Use the review as a way to assure yourself that you are well prepared to visit with your pet.
Handler's Questionnaire – complete this form before the animal is screened for skills and aptitude. Make a copy for the Team Evaluator and bring it to the evaluation. This form helps the evaluator understand your pet’s responses.

Animal Health Screening Forms – It is a good idea to make a copy of the introduction letter and forms and send them to your veterinarian before you schedule the appointment for screening. This will help your veterinarian plan the right amount of time for the procedure. Make sure your veterinarian completes all sections of the health screening forms or the entire packet will be returned.

Note: You may attach a signed health form from your veterinarian which indicates that it meets or exceeds the Pet Partners health requirements.

Volunteer Contact Form – this form lets us know more about you and your animal.  

Submitting the Registration Packet:
When you submit your Registration Packet, you must also include a copy of the completed Team Evaluation Forms. Delta-licensed Team Evaluators have the forms. After you and your animal have passed the Team Evaluation, the Team Evaluator will give you a signed and dated copy of the form for you to include with your Registration Packet. Be sure to:
-Complete all sections of each form.
-Provide your signature where needed.
-Include the photos and appropriate registration fee.
Note:Your Registration Packet must be sent into Delta Society within 90 days of successfully completing your Pet Partners Team Evaluation. When this 90-day time period expires, your are require to retake the Pet Partners Team Evaluation before submitting your registration papers.Make a copy of your completed Registration Packet for your records. If you want a receipt that your materials have been received, please mail it "Return Receipt Requested." 

Download the Pet Partners Registration Packet
The Pet Partners Registration Packet, which explains the process in detail and includes the necessary forms, is available in 2 formats (Adobe Acrobat PDF and rich text format [RTF]). Please feel free to download, print, and copy the Packet in its entirety to share with others. The Packet is also available in the Pet Partners Team Training Course Manual.

Pet Partners Registration Packet in PDF format (66K).
Pet Partners Registration Packet in RTF format (243K). Can be opened in most word processing programs.


Download Adobe Acrobat Reader if you don't have the latest version.

After You Submit Your Packet
Once Delta receives your completed Registration Packet, we start processing it for your acceptance into the Pet Partners Program. Within 2 weeks, you will be issued a temporary ID badge, which allows you to begin visiting. About 3 to 4 weeks later, you will receive your permanent ID badge and your animal's tag. 

Step 2: Health Screening for Your Pet
All animals who participate in the program must be healthy and free from parasites, disease, infections, and illnesses. The health screening is completed by your animal's regular veterinarian. To participate in Pet Partners, the animal must meet the following health requirements:
-Pass a general physical exam.
-Received rabies immunization, as prescribed by state law.
-In compliance with other immunization requirements, as prescribed by your veterinarian.
-Free from internal and external parasites.  

Diagnostic Testing and Immunization Requirements
Thanks to the input of our Pet Partners in the field, and expert advice from veterinarians, Delta Society has revised the Animal Health Screening Form. The new form leaves testing and immunization decisions (with the exception of state rabies vaccination requirements) to your animal's veterinarian. Delta Society believes that your animal's veterinarian is in the best position to decide what diagnostic tests and immunizations are appropriate.

Rabies immunizations are required for all animals, as prescribed by state law, in the Pet Partners Program.

We hope that this new process will simplify Animal Health Screening for Delta Pet Partners.

As you well know, there is often not a consensus of opinion among those in the veterinarian community about immunizations, and State laws with respect to rabies vaccinations vary. Rather than attempting to prescribe immunizations schedules for dogs and cats (other than compliance with State laws with respect to rabies vaccination), Delta Society will rely on your veterinarian's medical judgment and knowledge of your animal's health history and status.

The new Animal Health Screening Form is in the Pet Partner's Registration and Renewal Packets along with instructions for your veterinarian. Make sure your veterinarian completes all sections of the Animal Health Screening Form or the entire Registration Packet will be returned.

Step 3: Pet Partners Evaluation
The Team Evaluation process evaluates the animal/handler team, how well the handler interprets and manages the animal's behavior, and how well the animal responds to the handler.Team evaluations are performed by Delta-licensed Team Evaluators.

There are 2 parts:

Pet Partners Skills Test (PPST) – shows whether the animal can be controlled by you and follow basic commands. During the PPST, you will be assessed on how you interact with the evaluator, the evaluator's assistants, the animal, and the environment around you.

The PPST consists of:
1. Accepting a Friendly Stranger
This exercise demonstrates that the team can greet strangers appropriately.

2. Accepting Petting
This exercise demonstrates that the team has suitable social skills and control for visits.

3. Appearance and Grooming
This exercise demonstrates that the team's appearance is suitable for visits, the animal welcomes being groomed and examined and permits a stranger to do so, and the handler's care, concern, and responsibility.

4. Out For a Walk
This exercise demonstrates that the handler is in control of the animal and the animal is comfortable moving with the handler.

5. Walking Through a Crowd
This exercise simulates a crowded corridor and demonstrates that the team can move about politely in pedestrian traffic and under control in public places.

6. Reaction to Distractions
This exercise demonstrates that the animal remains confident when faced with common distracting situations.

7. Sit on Command, Down on Command, and Stay in Place (for dogs, not cats)
These exercises demonstrate that the dog has training and will sit, lie down, and stay at the handler's command.

8. Come When Called  
This exercise is for dogs only. This test demonstrates that the dog will leave pleasant distractions to come to the handler and allow the handler to attach a leash. (Very small dogs that have been carried during other parts of the evaluation must complete this exercise on the floor.)

9. Reaction to a Neutral Dog
This exercise demonstrates the animal can behave politely around an approaching, polite dog, the handler is aware of the animal's potential response to a dog, can help the animal succeed, and the handler can be polite and friendly to a stranger.

Pet Partners Aptitude Test (PPAT) – designed to simulate conditions that may be encountered on a visit. This screening helps determine the most appropriate environment for you and your animal. Many people compare this to a temperament test. During the PPAT, you will be assessed on how well you interact with the evaluator and evaluator's assistants as you simulate being on a visit . They will be acting as though they are in a facility. Your interactions may be in the form of questions, responses to the evaluator and evaluator's comments, eye contact, smiling, head nodding, directing the animal to interact, or other verbal and nonverbal methods of communicating. Unlike obedience competitions, you and your animal do not have to perform the exercises with precision to pass the evaluation. You are also encouraged to talk to your animal during the entire evaluation. The main emphasis is that the animal is under control.One of the goals of the Pet Partners Program is to ensure that we can all be proud of the visiting teams because they are safe and reliable. The evaluation process gives a complete picture of each handler/animal team. This process is the safest way to identify acceptable visiting teams. After you have passed the PPST and PPAT, the Team Evaluator will give you a signed and dated copy of your test forms for you to include when you submit your completed Registration Packet to Delta Society.The Pet Partners Team Training Course provides complete and more detailed information.

The PPAT consists of:
Exercise A: Overall Exam
This exercise demonstrates that the animal will accept and is comfortable being examined by a stranger and the handler knows how to present the animal on a visit and how to help the animal accept and welcome being touched all over.

Exercise B: Exuberant and Clumsy Petting
This exercise demonstrates that the animal will maintain self-control and will tolerate clumsy petting by people who have differing physical abilities or who do not know proper etiquette around the animal and the handler can work with the animal to help it tolerate such attention.

Exercise C: Restraining Hug
This exercise demonstrates that the animal will accept or welcome restraint and that the handler can assist the animal to accept or welcome such a situation.

Exercise D: Staggering, Gesturing Individual
This exercise demonstrates that the animal will exhibit confidence when a person acting in an unusual manner approaches and then interacts with it and the handler has the social skills to interact with such a person while attending to the animal.

Exercise E: Angry Yelling
This exercise demonstrates that the animal will not be upset when someone exhibits angry emotions and that the handler can help the animal tolerate such a situation.

Exercise F: Bumped from Behind
This exercise demonstrates that the animal is able to recover when a person bumps into it and that the handler can not only tolerate the animal being bumped, but can also assist the animal to recover.

Exercise G: Crowded and Petted by Several People
This exercise demonstrates that the animal will tolerate crowding and petting by several people at once and the handler has the social skills to visit with a group of people while still attending to the animal and maintaining its well-being.

Exercise H: Leave It
This exercise demonstrates the animal will ignore a toy left on the floor.

Exercise I: Offered a Treat
This exercise demonstrates the animal will take a treat politely and gently.

Exercise J: Overall Assessment
This item determines that the handler is proactive, not reactive or inactive, in the handling and management of his/her animal.

Please Note:
At no time will your animal be put in a situation that is dangerous to the animal's welfare. The Delta-licensed Team Evaluators who conduct the PPST and
PPAT are trained and learn that the well-being of animals comes first, no matter what. At no point during the evaluation will animals be hurt or intentionally
frightened. The PPAT is designed to resemble an animal-assisted activities/animal-assisted therapy (AAA/AAT) visit with situations that might occur when the
animal goes on a visit. If you are uncomfortable with or unsure of what is going on during the evaluation, please let the evaluator know. You are encouraged to
be your animal's advocate.

Evaluation Fee: The fee for each dog/handler team evaluation is $40.