Hand in Paw

What Hand in Paw does

Hand in Paw (legal name Hand-in-Paw, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1996 and headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, that delivers Animal-Assisted Therapy to people in medical, educational, and community settings across North Central Alabama and Tuscaloosa. The core service is delivered through professionally-trained volunteer handler-and-animal Therapy Teams that visit hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and human service organizations at no charge to the beneficiary. The organization's product surface is organized into three program verticals: HIP Heals (mental health, wellness, and hospital visits), HIP Reads (literacy support for struggling elementary readers via the Sit, Stay, Read! program), and HIP Cares (life skills, mentoring, and trauma response for at-risk youth, including the Pawsitive Living program). A virtual delivery channel, TeleHIP, was created during the COVID-19 pandemic and is now a permanent service offering. The 2019 unveiling of a renovated campus, including the Lasker Training Center and a simulation hospital room at Children's of Alabama, materially expanded training capacity.

The organization operates with 24 staff and 140+ professionally-trained volunteer Therapy Teams serving 70–100+ Program Partners. Because all services are free, the revenue model is donation-driven, supported by individual giving (including the recurring "The Pack" monthly program and the planned-giving Jessica Legacy Society), corporate sponsorships, workplace giving campaigns, and signature fundraising events led by the annual Picasso Pets gala and Mutt Strut 5K. The 2024 Picasso Pets event raised more than $350,000, and the 2019 gala raised over $335,000. A 2019 $2 million capital campaign (anchored by a $500,000 gift from Ken Jackson and naming-gift support from V*P*Funds) funded the campus renovation. Major institutional partners include UAB (with which Hand in Paw co-published research on animal-assisted therapy in spinal cord injury recovery), Children's of Alabama, VA Medical Center Birmingham, Tito's Handmade Vodka, and Medical Properties Trust.

The go-to-market is community-led: growth is gated by recruiting and training more volunteer Therapy Teams, with 100+ facilities reportedly on a waiting list. Distribution is direct to Program Partner facilities, with services delivered on-site or virtually. The organization holds a Charity Navigator Four-Star rating and operates with full financial transparency including published 990s, signaling strong governance for a nonprofit of its size.

Name

Hand in Paw

Legal name

Hand-in-Paw, Inc.

Website

https://handinpaw.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hand in Paw is a Birmingham, Alabama-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1996 that delivers free Animal-Assisted Therapy through 140+ volunteer Therapy Teams to 70–100+ healthcare, education, and human service partners across North Central Alabama and Tuscaloosa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals, including monthly giving program 'The Pack' and tribute gifts in memory or honor of loved ones
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship revenue from annual events including Picasso Pets gala and Mutt Strut, with presenting, stage, and various tier sponsors
3. Planned Giving: Bequests through wills, retirement asset designations, and life insurance policies; members of The Jessica Legacy Society
4. Workplace Giving: Payroll deduction programs through Alabama State Employees Combined Campaign, Combined Federal Campaign, and UAB Benevolent Fund
5. Brick Campaign & Tribute Gifts: Custom-engraved commemorative bricks for VPFunds Gratitude Gardens and John 3:16 Memorial Gardens
6. Event Revenue: Picasso Pets gala tickets ($250+), Mutt Strut registrations, Tail-Waggin' Takeout fundraiser
7. Anna's Fund: Donor-restricted fund helping eliminate financial barriers for volunteer Therapy Teams, covering training and supplies

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Hand in Paw provides animal-assisted therapy services through trained volunteer handler-and-animal teams that visit partner facilities across North Central Alabama and Tuscaloosa. Programs include HIP Heals, HIP Reads, HIP Cares, Petscription, Sit Stay Read!, and TeleHIP, all delivered at no cost to recipients and funded through donations, sponsorships, and grants.

Product overview

Hand in Paw operates as a unified Animal-Assisted Therapy service organization with three integrated program areas: HIP Heals (mental health and hospital visits), HIP Reads (literacy programs including Sit, Stay, Read!), and HIP Cares (youth mentoring and trauma response). All programs are delivered free of charge through professionally-trained volunteer handler and animal Therapy Teams, with both in-person visits and TeleHIP virtual services available. The organization does not charge for any services and depends entirely on donor support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HIP Heals: Program focused on mental health, wellness and compassion - serves hospitals, nursing homes, and healthcare facilities with Animal-Assisted Therapy visits
• HIP Reads
• HIP Cares
• The Pack
• The Jessica Legacy Society
• Anna's Fund
• Petscription
• Sit, Stay, Read!
• TeleHIP

Products and services

• HIP Heals Animal-assisted therapy visits for patients in hospitals, hospice, and assisted living facilities across North Central Alabama. Delivered by trained volunteer handler-animal teams free of charge to facilities and patients.
• HIP Reads Animal-assisted literacy and social-emotional learning program for elementary school children, delivered through school partnerships with trained therapy teams to improve reading confidence and engagement.
• HIP Cares Crisis response animal-assisted therapy program providing comfort visits during traumatic events, disasters, and community crises in partnership with crisis response agencies.
• Petscription Animal-assisted therapy program designed to provide therapeutic visits as a complementary intervention to clinical treatment in healthcare and community settings.
• Sit, Stay, Read! Children's literacy program pairing young readers with trained therapy animals to improve reading skills, confidence, and enjoyment in an educational setting.
• TeleHIP Virtual Visits Virtual animal-assisted therapy visits delivered via online platform, extending the organization's reach to remote participants and partners beyond the in-person service area.

Quantifiable outcome

• Modest reduction in pain and significant decrease in stress for spinal cord injury patients in UAB study
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• Adams and Reese LLPminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 March 2020Adams and Reese's Birmingham office donated wish list items and made a monetary donation through their HUGS (Hope, Understanding, Giving and Support) employee volunteer program. As a 'dog-centric' office, they chose HIP as a HUGS recipient.
• University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 October 2019UAB researchers partnered with Hand in Paw to study the role of Animal-Assisted Therapy in spinal cord injury recovery. Published research showing benefits including modest pain reduction, significant stress decrease, and improved mood. Dr. David Schwebel served as lead research partner.
• VP FundsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerVP Funds is the Presenting Sponsor of Picasso Pets annual gala. They provided a naming gift for the Founder's Office at HIP's renovated campus. VP Funds focuses on investing in non-profits with measurable community impact.
• Medical Properties TrustcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTherapy Team Sponsor for Picasso Pets. Medical Properties Trust supports HIP's work in healthcare settings.
• DogtopiaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVIP Experience Sponsor for Picasso Pets 2026 gala.
• Children's of AlabamacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor program partner where therapy teams make regular visits. Hosted retirement party for therapy dog Duke Ritter. 2007 Tweety Lasker Award recipient.
• Barber Vintage Motorsports MuseumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue partner for Picasso Pets annual gala (2024-2026). Located in Birmingham, the museum provides an elegant setting for the signature fundraising event.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Canine Companions for Independence: Larger national nonprofit providing highly-trained service dogs for individuals with disabilities. Broader scope than Hand in Paw (service dogs vs. therapy visits), but operates in the same animal-assisted human support category and shares nonprofit service delivery model.

Others

• PetSmart Charities: Leading animal welfare funder supporting therapy, rescue, and adoption programs nationally. Comparable as a funder/ecosystem player in the therapy animal space; comparable indirectly through programmatic overlap but not a direct service competitor.

Emerging players

• Pets for Vets: Nonprofit supporting veterans' mental health through shelter dog training and companionship. Adjacent mission overlap with Hand in Paw's veteran-serving Therapy Teams at VA Medical Center Birmingham; comparable in Animal-Assisted Therapy but distinct delivery model.

Direct peers

• Bright Spot Therapy Dogs: New England-based therapy dog organization providing certified therapy dog visits to hospitals, schools, and community settings. Directly comparable volunteer certification and partner-facility delivery approach.
• PAWS for People: Delaware-based Pet-Assisted Visitation nonprofit providing therapy animal visits to hospitals, schools, libraries, and crisis response settings. Comparable volunteer therapy team model and multi-vertical program suite similar to HIP Heals/Reads/Cares.
• Alliance of Therapy Dogs: National nonprofit that tests, registers, and supports volunteer therapy dog teams visiting healthcare, education, and community facilities. Highly comparable volunteer-driven therapy model and partner-facility delivery approach.
• Love on a Leash: National volunteer-based Animal-Assisted Therapy nonprofit that certifies therapy dog teams for visits to hospitals, schools, and care facilities. Directly comparable in mission, volunteer structure, and free service delivery model.
• Pet Partners: The largest national therapy animal organization in the US, registering volunteer handler-animal teams and setting national standards for Animal-Assisted Therapy. Directly comparable as both organizations deploy volunteer Therapy Teams to hospitals, schools, and community settings.
• Intermountain Therapy Animals: Regional therapy animal nonprofit (Utah and intermountain region) operating R.E.A.D. literacy program and hospital visitation services. Comparable in program structure, regional service focus, and literacy intervention offerings (R.E.A.D. parallels HIP Reads).
• The Good Dog Foundation: Therapy dog nonprofit providing Animal-Assisted Therapy visits to hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and other facilities in the New York region. Directly comparable volunteer-team model and free beneficiary service approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/handinpawal
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCO57vPoqm_RbI6taXS722yg
• Facebookfacebook.com/handinpawal
• Instagraminstagram.com/handinpawal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/handinpawal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hand in Paw