Therapet: Animal Assisted Therapy

What Therapet: Animal Assisted Therapy does

Therapet: Animal Assisted Therapy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1994 and headquartered in Tyler, Texas, that delivers goal-oriented Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) and Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) across the East Texas region. The organization deploys a network of 70+ trained therapy dogs, 3 cats, and 1 cockatoo in partnership with healthcare facilities, schools, libraries, residential care centers, crisis centers, correctional institutions, and child advocacy organizations. Its flagship partnership, a daily AAT program at Christus Trinity Mother Frances Rehabilitation Hospital established in 1994, was one of the first acute care hospital programs in the nation and served as a template for AAT programs across the country.

The organization's core technology consists of a proprietary multi-step certification pipeline (obedience training, Therapet 101 environmental conditioning class, 7-week Skills Class, veterinary screening, and in-hospital temperament testing limited to two attempts) that produces therapy animal-handler teams capable of working safely across diverse settings. Specialized programs include the Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) literacy program, hospital visitation services, and educational seminars that teach other facilities how to establish their own AAT programs. The volunteer-driven model produces cost-efficient service delivery while creating a self-reinforcing supply pipeline of certified therapy teams.

Therapet operates as a 100% donor-supported volunteer organization with no parent company or private equity backing. Revenue is generated through individual and organizational donations (preset tiers from $100 to $2,500 plus custom amounts), an annual Totally Unleashed fundraising gala with sponsorship tiers from $500 (Chihuahua) to $20,000 (Great Dane) and individual tickets at $150, member and non-member training class fees ($75-$125 per 6-7 week class), merchandise sales including a $100 Pawsport cocktail tour, and paid educational seminars for healthcare and education professionals. The customer base is segmented into healthcare facilities, educational institutions, social services and residential care, and correctional facilities, with all operations concentrated within the East Texas region surrounding Tyler.

Name

Therapet: Animal Assisted Therapy

Legal name

Therapet

Website

https://therapet.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Therapet is a Tyler, Texas-based 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1994 that delivers goal-oriented Animal Assisted Therapy and visitation programs across East Texas using 70+ trained therapy animals, serving hospitals, schools, libraries, residential care centers, and correctional facilities through a 100% donor-supported volunteer model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tyler

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Therapet relies on tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations. Donation options range from preset amounts ($100-$2,500) to custom amounts.
2. Gala Sponsorships: Annual fundraising gala (Totally Unleashed) featuring sponsorship tiers from $500 (Chihuahua) to $20,000 (Great Dane), with varying benefits including event tickets, table assignments, and recognition.
3. Dog Training Classes: Revenue from Therapet 101 Class ($125 non-member/$100 member), Skills Class ($125 non-member/$100 member), and Rally Class ($100 non-member/$75 member). Classes are 6-7 weeks in duration.
4. Gala Event Tickets: Individual tickets to the annual Totally Unleashed gala priced at $150 each.
5. Merchandise Sales: Pawsport products ($100) and other merchandise sold through the Therapet shop.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Therapet provides goal-oriented Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) and Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) using a network of 70+ trained therapy dogs, 3 cats, and 1 cockatoo. Services are delivered through partnerships with hospitals, rehabilitation centers, schools, libraries, correctional facilities, and residential care centers across East Texas. The organization also certifies therapy animal/handler teams, offers multi-week training classes, runs an annual fundraising gala, and conducts educational seminars for facilities wanting to establish their own AAT programs.

Product overview

Therapet is a non-profit organization providing Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) and Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) through a network of 70+ therapy dogs, 3 cats, and a cockatoo. The organization offers structured training programs including Therapet 101 Classes, Skills Classes, and Rally Classes for certifying therapy animals, with member and non-member pricing tiers. Additional offerings include educational seminars for facilities wanting to establish AAT programs, the annual Totally Unleashed fundraising gala with sponsorship tiers from $500-$20,000, Stock the Bar Pawsport event tickets, volunteer opportunities, and the R.E.A.D. literacy program. The organization operates primarily in the East Texas area, serving hospitals, rehabilitation centers, schools, libraries, and other facilities across Tyler and surrounding communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) Goal-oriented therapeutic interventions in which specially trained animals work alongside healthcare professionals to address physical, cognitive, emotional, and social goals for patients in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, schools, and other facilities.
• Therapet 101 Class 6-week environmental conditioning class introducing dogs (10 weeks or older) to therapy equipment and the Therapet training environment. Open to non-members at $125 and members at $100.
• Skills Class 7-week class teaching handlers and dogs the skills required to volunteer in Therapet settings, including rules, regulations, volunteer opportunities, and preparation for temperament testing. Requires Canine Good Citizen certification. $125 non-member / $100 member.
• Rally Class 6-week team-building class strengthening the handler-dog bond and refreshing required skills for the yearly check-off. Includes Therapet skills and hospital/school equipment training. $100 non-member / $75 member.
• Therapet Certification Program Multi-step certification process for therapy animal/handler teams, including obedience training, Skills Class completion, veterinary screening, in-hospital temperament testing, and a supervised apprenticeship.
• R.E.A.D. Program (Reading Education Assistance Dogs) Specialized program in which trained therapy dogs work with children to improve literacy and reading skills in school and library settings, including Beckville ISD, Brownsboro ISD, Chapel Hill ISD, and Lillie Russell Memorial Library.
• AAT Education Seminars 1-2 day seminars for healthcare professionals, educators, social workers, and facility leaders covering how to establish AAT programs, including infection control, documentation, reimbursement, volunteer recruitment, liability, and special populations.
• Totally Unleashed Annual Gala Annual fundraising gala featuring individual tickets, table sponsorships, dining, music, dancing, cocktails, and auctions. Sponsorship tiers include Chihuahua ($500), Cavalier ($1,000), Beagle ($1,500), Boxer ($2,500), Bulldog ($5,000), Doberman ($10,000), Husky ($15,000), and Great Dane ($20,000).
• Stock the Bar Pawsport $100 cocktail tour passport granting access to participating Tyler venues including III Palms, Villaggio del Vino, Stanley's BBQ, Houdini's, and Plaid Rabbit. Must be 21 or older.

Quantifiable outcome

• Testing scores show incredible increases every school year for Brownsboro ISD R.E.A.D. Program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Christus Trinity Mother Frances Rehabilitation Hospital (Encompass Health)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Longstanding partnership since 1994 providing daily AAT (Monday-Friday) incorporated into patient treatment by Speech, Occupational, and Physical Therapists. This program served as a template for many other AAT programs across the country. The specially trained dogs, cats, and bird work with patients on balance, coordination, memory, arm functioning, and walking goals.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pet Partners: The largest national therapy animal organization in the US, registering therapy animal/handler teams and providing volunteer visits to healthcare, education, and community settings — directly comparable model to Therapet's volunteer-driven AAT delivery.
• Bright Spot Therapy Dogs: Regional non-profit that trains and screens therapy dogs for visits to hospitals, schools, and residential care — comparable community-embedded AAT model to Therapet's East Texas operations.
• Love on a Leash: Volunteer-based organization certifying therapy dog teams for visits to hospitals, schools, and care facilities — a closely analogous non-profit AAT provider to Therapet.
• Alliance of Therapy Dogs: National therapy dog organization that tests, certifies, and registers therapy dog teams that visit facilities such as hospitals, schools, and libraries — directly parallel to Therapet's certification and visitation program.
• Paws for People: Non-profit providing Animal Assisted Therapy and Activities through volunteer teams visiting healthcare, education, and correctional facilities — direct overlap with Therapet's institutional visit model.

Broad incumbents

• PetSmart Charities: Major pet-focused charity that funds therapy and support-animal programs nationally; potential funding ecosystem and a broad-incumbent counterpart in the animal-assisted services space.
• American Kennel Club (AKC) Therapy Dog Program: The AKC administers a therapy dog certification title and registry that overlaps with Therapet's certification pipeline; operates at national scale rather than regionally.
• Canine Companions for Independence: Large national non-profit providing highly trained service dogs (not casual therapy dogs); overlapping animal-assistance mission and volunteer/donor-funding model, but operating on a larger scale and with a different service scope.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/therapet

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Therapet: Animal Assisted Therapy