Our Mission
To enhance the emotional well-being of others and brighten their lives with the love of our therapy dogs. It is our goal to educate people about our training, our experience and to set high standards in order to provide the best pet therapy experience for our patients, the staff and our therapy dogs. Above all, we want to share the unconditional love of our therapy dogs and improve the lives of others.
About K9 Connection
K9 Connection is a special group of passionate volunteers that have trained and registered their dogs to visit various healthcare facilities, schools, libraries, fundraisers, and community events in the greater Williamsburg area. These dedicated teams provide a calming influence and share their dogs’ unconditional love.
It is our mission with this program to enhance the well-being of others by brightening their lives with the love of our therapy dogs.
What is a Therapy Dog?
Therapy dogs are both purebred and mixed breed dogs that have been trained and evaluated for Therapy Dog work by evaluators from nationally recognized groups.
Their temperament is suited to be around children, the elderly, sick, and injured. They have been trained to move with confidence around walkers, wheelchairs, canes, crutches, etc.
Therapy dogs promote emotional well-being and healing.
Therapy dogs also provide opportunities for motivational, educational, and / or recreational activities to enhance the quality of life of those being visited.
Have you got what it takes to be a Therapy Dog Team?
Volunteering with a therapy dog is very rewarding. You need to be aware, though, that the complex relationship among you, your dog, and those whom you visit will require some special skills.
First, evaluate the health and temperament of the potential therapy dog, starting with a complete veterinary examination.
Then you will need to know some of the basic requirements and ways to prepare yourself and your dog.
National therapy dog organizations that register visiting teams will have some form of evaluation to determine if each team possesses the temperament, aptitude and skills for visiting – but before you reach the formal evaluation stage, it will be helpful to know some of the foundation skills that these organizations and facilities expect. The national therapy dog groups are:
Volunteer Spotlight
