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UCLA People-Animal Connection

UCLA People-Animal Connection

UCLA People-Animal Connection
  • About Us
    • Animal-Assisted Therapy Research
    • Meet the Staff
    • PAC Application and Requirements
    • How To Request a Visit
    • Therapy Dogs vs. Service Dogs
    • People-Animal Connection Safety Practices and Protocols
    • PAC & COVID-19
  • PAC Therapy Animals
    • Abby
    • Bailey
    • Bart
    • Baylee
    • Bentley
    • Blizzard
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    • Boba
    • BobDylan
    • Bubbles
    • Callie
    • Carly
    • Coogee
    • Cozy
    • Delancey
    • Diamond
    •  Donegal
    • Finley
    • Foxy Lady
    • Fred
    • Gigi
    • Guinness
    • Gus
    • Hamilton
    • Harlow
    • Henry B.
    • Henry P.
    • Henry W. 
    • Hermann
    • Izzy
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    • Noodle
    • Oliver M.
    • Oliver N.
    • Pierre
    • Piper
    • Redford
    • Riff Raff
    • Roxy
    • Sally
    • Scout
    • Shepzel
    • Stanley
    • Tommy
    • Tucker
    • Windy
    • Winston
    • Zander
    • Retired
    • In Memory
    • Abby
    • Bailey
    • Bart
    • Baylee
    • Bentley
    • Blizzard
    • Blue Moon
    • Boba
    • BobDylan
    • Bubbles
    • Callie
    • Carly
    • Coogee
    • Cozy
    • Delancey
    • Diamond
    • Donegal
    • Finley
    • Foxy Lady
    • Fred
    • Georgia
    • Gigi
    • Guinness
    • Gus
    • Hamilton
    • Harlow
    • Henry B.
    • Henry P.
    • Henry W.
    • Hermann
    • Izzy
    • Jackie
    • Jarvis
    • Jasper
    • Joshua
    • Kaylee
    • Kelda
    • Kennedy
    • Larry
    • Logan
    • Lola
    • Lula
    • Lulu
    • Maxine
    • Mazel
    • Noodle
    • Oliver M.
    • Oliver N.
    • Pierre
    • Piper
    • Redford
    • Riff Raff
    • Roxy
    • Sally
    • Scout
    • Shepzel
    • Stanley
    • Tommy
    • Truffles
    • Tucker
    • Windy
    • Winston
    • Zander
    • Retired
    • In Memory
  • Our Programs
    • Pet Visit Stations
    • Tuck-in-Teams
    • Resnick Pups
    • Paula's PetPal Place
    • Walking With Wisdom
    • PAC Literacy Program
    • PAC and Operation Mend
    • PAC at Stressbusters
    • PAC's Palliative Pups and NODA
    • PAC Stories
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UCLA People-Animal Connection

What's the Difference Between a Therapy Dog and Service Dogs?

Service Dogs:

  • Provided to people with disabilities that need aided assistance
  • Trained to perform specific tasks that would ease their handler's disability 
    • Training is specific to one person only
  • Usually have a "no petting" policy 
    • Interacting with other people can distract them from performing their tasks

Here's a list of a few Service Dog Organizations:

  • Canine Companions for Indepedence
  • K9s for Warriors
  • Autism Service Dogs of America
  • Freedom Service Dogs
  • Paws With a Cause

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Therapy Dogs:

  • Trained to interact with a variety of people
  • Usually have stable temperaments and have a friendly, easy-going personality
  • Help provide psychological or physiological therapy to individuals other than their handler
    • They help provide comfort and joy to people they encounter
  • They visit people in various social settings such as hospitals, schools, nursing homes, etc.
  • PAC Teams are certified to perform animal-assisted therapy through Pet Partners 

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