Animal Assisted Therapy training programs are offered throughout the year. Contact Carolina Canines at volunteer.services@carolinacanines.org or visit AAT Classes to learn when the next class is starting.

The Delta Society's Pet Partners Program was established in 1990 to ensure that people as well as animals, were well prepared to participate in animal assisted therapy and animal assisted activity programs. Carolina Canines President is a licensed Delta Society Pet Partner® Team Instructor and Evaluator, as well as a Pet Partner team.

Prerequisites to become a Pet Partner team are:

·	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.
·	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.

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		·	Horses		·	Miniature pigs
·	Cats		·	Goats		·	Cockatoos
·	Guinea pigs		·	Llamas		·	African Gray Parrots
·	Rabbits		·	Donkeys		·	Chickens
·	Domesticated rats		·	Potbellied pigs

Wild or exotic animals (e.g., snakes, ferrets, lizards) may not be Pet Partners.

People interested in becoming a Pet Partner team must complete an 8-week training course which includes both hands-on training with the animal and classroom work.

All animals who participate in the program must be healthy and free from parasites, disease, infections, and illnesses. The health screening is completed by your animal's regular veterinarian.

The animal/handler team is evaluated at the end of the course to determine how well the handler interprets and manages the animal's behavior, and how well the animal responds to the handler.

Carolina Canines for Service requires all of its handlers to have a criminal background check.

After successful completion of the animal/handler evaluation a registration packet will be prepared and sent to Delta Society by Carolina Canines for Service. Once the animal/handler team receives their identification from Delta Society, Carolina Canines will work with the team to assist in finding an environment to visit.

For more detailed information about Delta Society and the Pet Partner program visit www.deltasociety.org.