KPETS - Keystone Pet Enhanced Therapy Services

Keystone Pet Enhanced Therapy Services (KPETS) provides a network of registered pet therapy teams whose passion is Touching Lives and Warming Hearts by offering comfort, encouragement and rehabilitation through human-animal interactions.  We provide this benefit through our volunteer teams of handlers and their companion animal(s).

Our mission is to promote the healing and rehabilitating benefits of the human-animal bond, and our services are available to organizations and individuals free of charge.   

Begun in 2003 KPETS has grown into a well-respected organization with over 350 volunteer teams annually providing approximately 15,000 hours of pet therapy services to over 350 facilities. Our volunteer teams include human handlers and their dogs, cats, rabbits and even mini horses as therapy animals. These KPETS volunteer teams provide pet-enhanced therapy services in health-related facilities, social agencies, special-needs programs, schools, colleges, libraries, retirement communities, hospices, court houses, addiction recovery facilities and more. 

Throughout our services, we have seen the way the interaction with animals directly impacts the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of those we visit. Research supports the benefits of pet therapy; interaction with an animal can decrease blood pressure; reduce pain; motivate children and adults during physical therapy; help children learn to read; accelerate the healing process; increase socialization; improve social skills; provide a sense of calm and safety; improve fine motor skills and balance; increase focus, attention, self-esteem and the ability to care for oneself; reduce stress, anxiety, depression, grief, the risk of heart attack or stroke and isolation; improve willingness to be involved in a therapeutic program or group activity; cause individuals to smile, laugh and even speak; increase trust, empathy and teamwork; maintain greater self-control; enhance problem-solving skills; and reduce the need for medication under a doctor’s direction.

“A stroke patient had his second stroke at only 50 years old, and it was very severe. His wife told me how he desperately missed his cat. When we placed the KPETS therapy cat on his chest, he attempted to reach out, I did some hand-over-hand assistance so he could pet him. He smiled, and his wife said that was the first time she has seen him smile since his stroke.” 

“One of my recent child clients was very nervous for our first session. She began crying and was unable to engage with me. Once my client caught sight of our KPETS visitor, she stopped crying immediately. After some doggie snuggles, my client smiled and began to open.”

Our York County volunteers have logged thousands of hours during their visits and serves thousands in York County each year in hospitals, hospices, schools, churches, juvenile detention facilities, private homes, libraries and more.   

KPETS is committed to providing therapy visits to anyone who may benefit at no cost!  Thank you for your gift to KPETS so we can continue “Touching Lives and Warming Hearts”.   Someone somewhere is receiving a KPETS visit today because of YOUR support! 

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Memorial Health Fund Stretch Pool

Who We Are

Registered KPETS volunteers and their companion animals promote well-being and offer encouragement in our communities by sharing the power and benefits of human-animal interactions.

Serving local communities in health-related facilities, social agencies, special-needs programs, schools, libraries, retirement communities and hospices, KPETS teams readily visit wherever the human/animal connection may be beneficial.