Paws For People

Name

Paws For People

Legal name

Pet-Assisted Visitation Volunteer Services, Inc.

Website

https://pawsforpeople.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Newark

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, including one-time and monthly recurring gifts, memorial and tribute gifts, and special campaign appeals
2. Planned Giving: Legacy gifts including wills and bequests, charitable trusts, life insurance, and retirement plan assets
3. Securities and Stock Donations: Gifts of appreciated securities, stocks, bonds, and mutual funds held over one year, offering tax deductibility without capital gains
4. Membership Fees: Annual membership dues for therapy pet teams: Active $50, Teen $25, with additional pet and family member options
5. Dog Training Classes: Group obedience and therapy dog preparation courses ranging from $160-180, plus private training sessions at $50-80 per hour
6. Site Fees: Partnering facilities pay fees for ongoing PAWS visits, processed through online payment system
7. United Way and Workplace Giving: Payroll donation designations through United Way campaigns with specific designation codes for Delaware and surrounding regions
8. Merchandise Sales: PAWS branded merchandise including apparel, accessories, and event commemorative items sold through online shop
9. Event Registration: Fees for signature events including Wag & PAWSathon ($10-20), vendor booth fees ($175), and sponsorship packages ($250-1,500)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

PAWS for People delivers therapeutic pet visitation services through a network of 500+ certified volunteer therapy pet teams to healthcare facilities, schools, libraries, correctional facilities, and elder care centers across the Mid-Atlantic region. The organization supplements its core visitation services with dog training classes, a literacy reading program (PAWS for Reading), member education (PAWS University), bereavement support (PAWS at Peace), and fundraising events.

Product overview

PAWS for People is a nonprofit organization providing pet therapy services through volunteer therapy animal teams. The organization operates as a unified service model centered on therapeutic visits, supported by complementary programs including PAWSitive Connection dog training, PAWS University member education, PAWS for Reading literacy sessions, and PAWS at Peace bereavement support. The organization also hosts signature fundraising events (Wag & PAWSathon, Doodles in Dewey, Spring Fling) and maintains a merchandise shop. Over 500 therapy teams deliver approximately 350,000 visits annually across Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pet Therapy Visits Therapeutic visitation services providing well-trained therapy animal visits to hospitals, skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, schools, correctional facilities, courthouses, and other partner sites throughout Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
• PAWS for Reading Literacy program that pairs struggling readers with therapy pets to provide non-judgmental reading practice sessions at partner libraries and schools.
• PAWS University Educational program for PAWS members offering specialized courses including Autism Initiative, Courthouse Companions, Hospice Visiting, PAWS for Reading, and other therapeutic visit training modules.
• PAWSitive Connection Dog Training Comprehensive dog training program offering obedience classes, therapy dog preparation, AKC certifications (S.T.A.R. Puppy, Canine Good Citizen), and private lessons at multiple locations in Delaware and Pennsylvania.
• PAWS at Peace Bereavement Program Multi-faceted grief support service for members experiencing loss of their therapy companion, including counseling sessions and memorial tributes.
• PAWS Merchandise Shop Online shop offering branded merchandise including t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, caps, bags, and accessories for PAWS members and supporters.
• Wag & PAWSathon Annual 30-day fundraising event featuring a virtual walkathon, contests, and community celebrations to support PAWS pet therapy programs.
• Doodles in Dewey Annual beach event bringing together doodle dogs and their families for parades, romps, and yappy hours to raise funds for PAWS programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 350,000 people positively impacted annually through therapeutic pet visits
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• National Dog Show / Kennel Club of PhiladelphiaflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Strategic partnership with the National Dog Show and Kennel Club of Philadelphia supporting the annual Wag & PAWSathon event. Raised over $55,000 for PAWS programming in 2025. Partnership features The National Dog Show Therapy Dog Symposium at Rowan University (December 11, 2026). David Frei, founder of Angel on a Leash and analyst for The National Dog Show on NBC, serves as advocate.
• Partner Libraries (40+ locations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPAWS for Reading program operates at 40+ library locations across Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Maryland including Appoquinimink Community Library, Bear Library, Brandywine Hundred Library, Newark Free Library, and many others hosting regular reading sessions with therapy pets
• Rowan UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for The National Dog Show Therapy Dog Symposium addressing development of best practices in therapy dog work, bringing together practitioners from America and around the world
• Cecil County Department of Social ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCourthouse Companions program developed in partnership with child advocacy program, serving Delaware County PA and Cecil County MD courts assisting children and families through court processes
• Delaware County Courts (PA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCourthouse Companions program expansion to Delaware County, PA providing trained therapy pet teams to assist children and families navigating the court system
• Concord Pet FoodsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDog training classes offered at Concord Pet Foods location in Millsboro, DE providing training facilities and community outreach
• Jennersville Pets & FriendsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDog training classes offered at Jennersville Pets & Friends location in West Grove, PA providing training facilities for the PAWSitive Connection dog training program
• Hotel Partners (Doodles in Dewey)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with pet-friendly hotels in Dewey/Rehoboth Beach area offering discounted rates for Doodles in Dewey event attendees including Atlantic Oceanside, Breakers Hotel, Gold Leaf Hotel, Holiday Inn Express, Home2 Suites, Hotel Wave, and Hyatt Place
• Restaurant Partners (Doodles in Dewey)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with restaurants in Dewey/Rehoboth Beach area for Yappy Hours and dine-to-donate events during Doodles in Dewey weekend including Dewey Beer Company, Crabby Dicks, Zogg's Raw Bar, 302 Social, The Lighthouse, and The Wheelhouse
• United Way of DelawareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWorkplace giving campaign partner with designation code #11062 for United Way of Delaware, #71031 for Delaware State Employees' Charitable Campaign, #48807 for United Way of Greater Philadelphia & Southern NJ

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Love on a Leash: National therapy dog certification and visitation nonprofit with member chapters across the U.S. Comparable to PAWS in volunteer-based certification standards and facility visits for healthcare and educational beneficiaries.
• Pet Partners: The largest national therapy animal organization in the U.S., registering handler-animal teams and deploying them to hospitals, schools, and care facilities. Directly comparable to PAWS for People in mission, therapy-team certification model, and facility-visit service delivery, but operates at significantly greater national scale.
• Intermountain Therapy Animals: Regional therapy animal organization operating R.E.A.D. (Reading Education Assistance Dogs), a flagship literacy program directly comparable to PAWS for Reading, plus broader facility visitation services in the Mountain West.
• Alliance of Therapy Dogs: National therapy dog certification and visitation organization with member teams across the U.S. Highly comparable to PAWS for People in certifying volunteer handler-dog teams and supporting facility visits, including healthcare and educational settings.
• Therapy Dogs International (TDI): One of the longest-established therapy dog organizations, offering testing, certification, and visitation programs for volunteer teams visiting hospitals, nursing homes, and schools. Directly comparable to PAWS in certification, volunteer model, and visit-based service delivery.
• Good Dog Foundation: Provides therapy dog services and training across the Northeast U.S., working with healthcare, education, and social service organizations. Comparable to PAWS in nonprofit therapy-dog program delivery and institutional partnerships.
• Angel on a Leash: Therapy dog nonprofit founded by David Frei (NBC National Dog Show analyst), sharing both mission overlap and a high-profile media partner with PAWS for People. Comparable in therapy dog visitation programming and national fundraising visibility.

Regional players

• BrightSpot Therapy Dogs (Canine Assisted Therapy): Regional therapy dog organization serving the Mid-Atlantic region with comparable hospital, school, and library visit programming to PAWS for People. Direct geographic overlap makes it a credible regional competitor.

Emerging players

• Pets for Vets: Nonprofit pairing shelter dogs with military veterans for therapeutic benefit. Comparable as an animal-assisted intervention nonprofit, but focuses on one-on-one veteran-pet placements rather than volunteer-driven facility visitation.

Broad incumbents

• Canine Companions for Independence: Large national nonprofit providing trained service dogs for people with disabilities. Adjacent in nonprofit, dog-training, and mission-driven animal assistance, though focused on independently placed service dogs rather than volunteer team facility visits.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/PAWSforPeople
• Facebookfacebook.com/PAWSforPeople
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/paws-for-people

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Paws For People