As a pet parent, you are probably well aware of the transformative powers of your dog’s affection, love and care.
Dogs are such high-spirited creatures and just being around them brings so much joy and happiness into our lives. Not just that, but dogs have also been shown to have numerous positive effects on our mood, emotional wellbeing and also our overall health.
That’s one of the many reasons why therapy dogs are employed in settings like hospitals, nursing homes, retirement homes and many others to help provide support and comfort to people in difficult circumstances.
With this in mind, Pet Partners, a leading organization that promotes the health benefits of animal-assisted activities and therapy, announced 30th April as National Therapy Animal Day. The goal behind this special day is to understand, recognize and celebrate the untiring efforts of therapy animals and their wonderful qualities that make them so important for vulnerable populations.
So, with National Therapy Animal Day just a few days away, we have just the right suggestions for all the pet owners out there to commemorate this holiday in the manner that it deserves to be honored.
After all, your furry friends at home also play a huge role in boosting your mood and keeping your mental health and wellness in the best shape, so it’s essential that you make this day special for them as well.
Create Awareness on Social Media
Not every individual is likely to be aware of this holiday that’s commemorated on 30th April, so one important thing you can do to make a difference is to create awareness on social media.
It is absolutely imperative for people to know about the value that therapy animals hold and the amazing ways in which they can help people during their tough times.
There are so many ways in which you can spread awareness on social media about National Therapy Animal Day, such as:
- If you were ever involved with therapy animals either as a practitioner, handler or client, you can talk about your experience and what it means to you.
- You can write a piece on the noteworthy work done by therapy animals and their multiple benefits that they have to offer.
- Be creative and express your love and support for all the animals out there by making collages, drawings, paintings or even an animated video about them.
- If you ever had the chance to take a picture with a therapy animal at a hospital, nursing home or elsewhere, you can upload that photo on your social media accounts with a detailed caption on the benefits of therapy dogs and how they are essential for overall emotional and mental health plus wellbeing.
Make sure to include important hashtags like #PetPartners and #NationalTherapyAnimalDay in all your posts so that they can be re-shared and can reach the maximum number of people.
Talk to Therapy Animal Handlers
Another thing you do on National Therapy Animal Day is you can visit different places where therapy animals are used and engage in conversations with their handlers to learn more about it.
Talking to different therapy animal handlers will help you gain further insight into all they do and the ways in which they help vulnerable people in different settings and make a difference in their lives.
While this may not directly help the animals out there, by learning about them and spreading awareness among others, you will be able to make a world of difference.
Become a Volunteer at Pet Partners
If you wish to do something special and a little something extra for the furry creatures out there, how about becoming a volunteer at Pet Partners?
You can register and be a part of their therapy team and program to gain an amazing experience and also be able to witness how therapy animals make a difference.
You will primarily be working as a handler during your volunteer work, but at the same time, you will also be learning so much about therapy animals, the organization itself and every little thing about this whole process.
Spread the Word Where You Live
There are probably a number of pet owners and parents in your area, some of which you possibly even meet daily while walking your dog or running daily errands.
This is the perfect opportunity for you to spread the word about National Therapy Animal Day in your locality and create awareness where you live.
You can highlight how therapy animals are such an integral part of the community and the importance of the work that they do for people around us who need help.
Pamper Your Pet
All animals offer therapeutic benefits in their own ways, so there’s no question as to why you shouldn’t pamper your pet and make National Therapy Animal Day special for them as well!
Ever noticed how being with pets brings a huge smile to our faces, and cuddling with them makes us forget about all our worries and tensions? That’s how pets help improve our mood and positively impact our overall wellbeing and health.
So, on this day, make sure to let your furry friend know how much you love them and how they are such an important part of your life.
There are so many things that you and your pet can do together such as you can go swimming, you can take your dog for an extra-long walk, you can go on a date with them, play catch in the local park, make friends with other pet parents and their furry pets, spend a whole day at the beach, make treats for your pet as well as those in your neighborhood and so much more!
This is essential in order to not only commemorate National Therapy Animal Day but also to make your pet feel special because your pet is also a part of the whole animal community and does deserve extra love and care for the insurmountable amount of joy they bring to our lives.
