2X Giving Tuesday Match Happening Now! Help us reach our goal and save more animals in need. Donate Now!

Animal Assisted Therapy

Animal-assisted therapy has proven effective in treating people with mental disabilities, illness, and addiction. SPCA International’s PAWsitive Recovery program matches people in treatment or sober living with shelter animals in a variety of fun and effective workshop settings, combining companionship, exercise, and socialization with the opportunity to help prepare an abused or neglected animal for future adoption. 

To learn more, check out our Workshops FAQ below or CLICK HERE to book a workshop.

Workshops FAQ

PAWsitive Recovery offers a variety of Animal Assisted Therapy workshops designed to help individuals in treatment or sober living. These include:

  • Sit, Stay, Heal: Basic dog training methods related to recovery.
  • Mindful Dog Movement and Exercise: Cardio, walking, and running exercises with dogs.
  • Downward Dog Yoga: Yoga and breathing techniques with animals.
  • Zen Kitten Meditation: Meditation with kittens.
  • The Artful Dog: Creative art sessions featuring dogs as models.
  • Tall Tales: Writing and Journaling. 
  • Guest speakers from the PAWsitive Recovery program.

We also offer a comprehensive eight week program encompassing many of the workshops listed above.

Currently, we conduct workshops at a variety of facilities in the Denver area, including treatment centers, sober living homes, and other supportive environments for individuals in recovery. If your facility is interested in hosting a workshop, please feel free to get in touch by emailing [email protected].

Currently, our workshops are offered to individuals in treatment or sober living through care facilities in the Denver area, but we’re hoping to start community workshops in the future. 

Keep checking here for updates, and in the meantime, if you’d like to take part in a workshop, encourage your facility to contact us at [email protected] for booking information!

Animal Assisted Therapy offers numerous benefits, including:

  • Helping individuals relax and open up about past trauma and abuse.
  • Increasing the efficiency of counseling sessions by facilitating communication.
  • Providing clinicians with greater insight into patients’ struggles.
  • Offering social and health benefits through interaction with therapy animals.
  • Providing a sense of purpose and responsibility when caring for animals.

Pricing details for the workshops are available upon request. Please contact us at [email protected] for more information.

The number of participants per workshop can vary. Please contact us at [email protected] for specific details on group sizes for each workshop.

If you’re interested in learning more about Animal Assisted Therapy, or to book a workshop for your group, please feel free to email [email protected]. We’d love to answer any questions you might have.