There are Pet Therapy Organizations that provide insurance for volunteers of the organizations to go to schools, nursing homes, and hospitals for "Pet Therapy" visits.
Someone asked the question, "What measures do you take to make sure the animals are not stressed?" The handler of the animals must know the animal/animals stress signals, how to guide interactions, when to support and advocate for the animal, and when to stop the visit. I have seen local farms bring animals to schools for visits. It is treated more like a petting farm zoo. When it comes to Therapy Animals, they are born, not made. You can also risk "flooding" a puppy with too much interaction at a young age.
I am a volunteer with Pet Partners. PP provides courses for the handler in a variety of settings. It also provides specific courses for each species of therapy animals, 9 species. There are age requirements for each species before the animal/animals can be evaluated as a team with the handler. The handler and animal is evaluated as a "Team". There are other Therapy Animal Organizations. I chose Pet Partners because of the expectations, professionalism, and courses.
------------------------------
Kim Jackson
AKC CGC Evaluator
President/Founder For The Puppies Foundation Inc.
Corinth, MS
kimj@forthepuppiesfoundation.orgwww.forthepuppiesfoundation.org------------------------------