How much does the programme cost?

The investment for your School to join the PAWS School Therapy Dog Programme is £299 + vat per month.

Are there payment plans?

Yes! You can pay in full, or split your instalments into either two or four interest-free instalments.

Is there an enrolment date?

You get instant access to the Programme right away, though we have 20 spaces per month.

How long does the programme take to complete?

Most schools join us on a rolling basis to benefit from ongoing support, and take around 10-12 months to pass the Therapy Dog Assessment. You can work through at your own pace and take your assessment when you are ready.

What will the Programme enable me to do?

The programme will enable you to deliver safe and effective Animal Assisted Interventions in your school to support children or young people. This includes supporting mental health, attendance issues, learning difficulties, and more. There are many tasks that you can teach your Therapy Dog with our support, from deep pressure therapy to helpful interruptive behaviours, as well as classroom support. You will be a PAWS Therapy Dog Practitioner, and your dog will be a PAWS Certified Therapy Dog. You'll be be able to proudly display our digital badge, as well as order a PAWS logo Therapy Dog jacket for your dog to wear whilst they are working, once you have completed all of your assessments and compliance checks. Please note that a jacket is NOT required by law and does not imply public access, which is only relevant to Assistance Dogs.

Do you support schools with more than one site?

Yes! PAWS work with many schools or multi-academy trusts and we can support you across different locations.

Can our school have more than one handler?

Yes! The PAWS School Programme supports up to 3 handlers, even if they wish to handle the same Therapy Dog. We can also create custom programme packages if more handlers are required.

Can our school have more than one Therapy Dog?

Yes! If your school requires more than one dog, we can support you with the training, integrations and handling of multiple dogs. Please note that each dog will require a designated handler, which is usually a staff member.

Do I need a dog to get started?

You can get started on the Programme without a dog, but you will need a dog to be able to complete the programme. Most applicants are a staff member in the school with a pet dog whom they believe would make a good Therapy Dog, although many of our schools also choose to take on a puppy with our support.

Does my location matter?

Your school or educational establishment must currently be residing in the UK or NI. Our Assessors travel nationwide.

How am I or my school assessed?

There are online assessments throughout the modules, which must be submitted with a pass mark of 70%. Your final assessment will consist of an online theory assessment, an in-person assessment at your school for you and the dog, and a compliance check. There are no written essays in the Programme.

What else does our school need to consider when introducing a Therapy Dog?

There are many unique considerations when introducing a Therapy Dog into your school, including careful introductions, managing allergies, conducting risk assessments, and securing necessary insurance. These are all elements that we fully support you with.

What else does our school need to consider when introducing a Therapy Dog?

There are many unique considerations when introducing a Therapy Dog into your school, including careful introductions, managing allergies, conducting risk assessments, and securing necessary insurance. These are all elements that we fully support you with.

My dog already has a PAT certificate, how is this different?

It's important to note that the level of training for both the human and the dog, as well as the certification PAWS provide, are very different to PAT. Pets As Therapy do not provide any training for the human or the dog, so neither party requires specific skills or is assessed to a high level. This means that, although you can provide joy to an individual through companionship of a visiting PAT dog, you are not able to provide Animal Assisted Interventions that have goal-based outcomes, as PAWS teaches to schools across the UK. If you are working with, for example, a child who has mental health struggles, neurodiversity, and learning difficulties, both the human and the dog require specific skills to do so sympathetically and effectively. A Teacher cannot teach and support children and young people without the appropriate skills and qualifications, and Therapy Dogs and their handlers are exactly the same.