Paid Therapy Dog Services vs Free Voluntary Visits: What’s the Difference?
Therapy dogs can bring something incredibly special to people’s lives.
A wagging tail, a gentle interaction and the presence of a calm, friendly dog can create moments of connection, comfort and joy for people of all ages.
There are some wonderful organisations across the UK providing free therapy dog visits through volunteers, and these services play an important role in communities. Organisations such as Pets As Therapy and Therapy Dogs Nationwide rely heavily on volunteers to bring their dogs into settings such as schools, care homes and other community environments.
But there is also a place for professional, paid-for therapy dog services.
So, what is the difference?
It isn't simply about paying for someone to bring a dog through the door.
A professional therapy dog service can provide a structured, consistent and personalised programme, designed around the needs of the people receiving the sessions and the organisation commissioning them.
Free voluntary visits – a wonderful community service
Voluntary therapy dog organisations can provide an invaluable service.
Their volunteers generously give their own time to visit schools, care homes, hospitals and other settings. The focus may be on companionship, comfort, conversation and the enjoyment that comes from spending time with a friendly, well-assessed dog.
For some settings, this is exactly what they need. A regular volunteer visit can give residents something to look forward to, provide companionship and create wonderful interactions.
However, a voluntary visiting service and a professional commissioned service are not necessarily designed to provide the same thing.
So what does a paid professional service offer?
At Therapy Paws UK, we see our role as much more than simply bringing a dog into a setting.
We provide structured wellbeing sessions, tailored to the people we are supporting and the outcomes the organisation wants to achieve.
1. Consistency of handler and dog
For care homes in particular, consistency can be extremely important.
Where possible, we aim to provide the same handler and therapy dog team for a programme rather than continually introducing different people and dogs.
For residents living with dementia, familiarity can be particularly valuable. A familiar face, familiar voice and familiar dog can help create a sense of recognition and routine.
Our handlers also wear Therapy Paws UK uniform and identification, helping residents and staff recognise who we are when we arrive. Our aim is to create a professional, recognisable and reassuring presence.
2. Sessions are personalised
A professional session shouldn't be a "one size fits all" experience.
We take the time to understand who we are working with and what they enjoy.
For example, a care home session could be built around a resident's love of:
Gardening
Music
Cooking
Photography
Animals
Art
Walking
History
Sport
Grooming
Dogs and different breeds
The therapy dog becomes part of an activity or interaction that is meaningful to that individual. This can help create opportunities for conversation, reminiscence, engagement, social interaction and enjoyment.
3. Our children's sessions are very much child-led
When we work with children, particularly children with SEND, SEMH needs or an EHCP, we believe it is important that sessions are built around the individual child. Rather than expecting every child to participate in exactly the same activity, we consider their interests, communication style, needs and individual goals.
The dog can provide a bridge into activities that might otherwise feel difficult.
A child who struggles to communicate with an adult may find it easier to talk about a dog.
A child who struggles with confidence may begin by interacting with the dog.
A child who finds a traditional learning environment overwhelming may engage more readily when learning is connected to something they genuinely enjoy.
Our sessions can therefore incorporate emotional regulation, communication, confidence, social skills, engagement and wellbeing alongside positive interaction with the therapy dog.
4. We can provide progress reports
This is one of the significant differences between a casual or voluntary visit and a commissioned programme. Where we are supporting a child through an EHCP or EOTAS package, we can provide written reports following sessions or programmes where required.
These can give parents/carers information that they can share with their caseworker or other professionals involved in the child's provision.
Reports can record areas such as:
Engagement
Communication
Confidence
Interaction
Emotional regulation
Participation
Progress towards agreed aims
Observations from sessions
This provides a record of the provision being delivered and the child's engagement and progress.
5. We offer structured programmes
Therapy Paws UK isn't limited to one-off visits.
We can provide:
Six-week programmes
Block bookings
1:1 sessions
Home visits
Small-group sessions
Care home wellbeing programmes
School programmes
EOTAS/SEND provision
Community wellbeing sessions
This allows organisations and families to choose a format that works for their individual needs.
6. Our after-school clubs are about much more than playing with a dog
We also offer animal-assisted after-school clubs designed to help children develop an understanding of dogs and responsible animal care.
Children can learn about:
🐾 How to safely interact with dogs
🐾 What different dog body language means
🐾 How dogs communicate
🐾 Recognising when a dog is happy, worried, frightened or uncomfortable
🐾 Responsible dog ownership
🐾 Grooming and basic care
🐾 Dog safety
🐾 How to behave appropriately around animals
🐾 Understanding and respecting an animal's boundaries
The aim is to help children develop knowledge, empathy, confidence and respect for animals, rather than simply providing entertainment.
7. Professional safeguarding and preparation
Every Therapy Paws UK team works within our professional requirements.
Our teams are:
✔️ DBS checked
✔️ Safeguarding trained
✔️ Fully insured
✔️ Therapy dog certified/assessed
✔️ Required to meet our partner standards
✔️ Supported by risk assessments and appropriate documentation
Safeguarding and animal welfare are fundamental to what we do.
DBS requirements depend on the nature and frequency of the role, so organisations should always ensure that the appropriate level of check is in place for the activity being undertaken.
We also believe that the welfare of the dog must always be considered alongside the needs of the person. A therapy dog should never be expected to continue an interaction if it is showing signs that it needs space or a break.
8. We can work around the organisation
Professional provision can be commissioned to fit around the needs of a setting.
For example, a care home may want:
A weekly six-week wellbeing programme
with the same handler and dog.
A school may want:
A block of targeted sessions for a small group of children.
An EHCP/EOTAS family may need:
1:1 sessions or home visits.
A community organisation may want:
A one-off wellbeing event.
And an organisation may simply want to create an ongoing programme of therapy dog wellbeing activities.
We can discuss the requirements and build the provision around them.
It's not about one being "better"
It is important to say that free voluntary therapy dog visits have an incredibly valuable place in society.
Volunteer organisations give their time because they want to make a difference, and many provide wonderful opportunities for people to experience the benefits of spending time with a therapy dog. Pets As Therapy, for example, describes its school visits as a free service provided by volunteer teams.
The difference is that a paid professional service is commissioned to deliver a defined service. The organisation isn't simply paying for access to a dog.
It may be paying for:
Consistency.
Planning.
Tailored sessions.
Professional administration.
Safeguarding processes.
Risk assessments.
Structured programmes.
Progress reporting.
1:1 support.
Block bookings.
Home visits.
Community provision.
A recognisable professional team.
And, importantly, someone responsible for coordinating the service from beginning to end.
Why choose Therapy Paws UK?
At Therapy Paws UK, we believe that therapy dog wellbeing should be purposeful, ethical and individualised. Our dogs are not simply there to be stroked. They can become part of a carefully planned wellbeing experience designed around the individual.
Whether we're working with a care home resident living with dementia, a child with an EHCP, a young person accessing EOTAS, a school group or people within the wider community, we want every session to have meaning. Sometimes that might mean helping a child engage. Sometimes it might be helping someone communicate. Sometimes it might be creating a moment of calm. Sometimes it might simply be bringing back a happy memory. And sometimes, the most important outcome is a smile.
That is what Therapy Paws UK is about — connecting people, paws and wellbeing.
Therapy Paws UK
We provide professional therapy dog wellbeing sessions across:
🏫 Schools
🏡 Care homes
💙 SEND settings
📚 EOTAS and out-of-education provision
🏠 1:1 and home visits
🌳 The wider community
We offer one-off sessions, block bookings, six-week programmes and bespoke packages.
If you would like to discuss how Therapy Paws UK could support your organisation or an individual child or young person, please get in touch.
Enquire: karenbirch@therapypawsuk.co.uk
Buckinghamshire ~ Somerset ~ Plymouth ~ Hampshire ~ Southampton ~ And Growing Nationwide
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