| Prerequisites for the Person |
- The person handling the animal (handlers) must be at least 10 years old. Handlers younger than 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and must have written permission to participate from a parent or guardian.
- People who do not have an animal may also register as Pet Partners
| Prerequisites for the Animal |
- All animals except birds must have lived in the owner's home for at least 6 months. Birds must have lived in the owner's home for at least 1 year.
- All animals except "pocket pets" must be at least 1 year at the time the animal is evaluated. Pocket pets (e.g., guinea pigs, rabbits, rats, etc.) must be at least 6 months at the time the animal is evaluated.
- Dogs trained to aggressively protect and/or encouraged to actively bite, even as a component of a dog sport (e.g., bite work that is part of Schutzhund) may not be Pet Partners.
| Animals That Can Be Pet Partners |
There are a great many species that make wonderful visiting animals and can form a strong human-animal bond. Only domesticated animals may become Pet Partners. Examples of registered pets include:
- Dogs
- Cats
- Guinea pigs
- Rabbits
- Domesticated rats
- Horses
- Goats
- Llamas
- Donkeys
- Potbellied pigs
- Miniature pigs
- Cockatoos
- African Gray Parrots
- Chickens
Wild or exotic animals (e.g., snakes, ferrets, lizards) may not be Pet Partners.
Continue to Step 1: Pet Partners Team Training Course.
