Being around pets creates a sense of calmness for families and children coping with stressful situations. Families with children staying at one of the three Ronald McDonald Houses of Central and Northern Arizona (RMHC-CNAZ) certainly experience those challenges.
To help ease that stress, RMHC-CNAZ launched the Pets as Friends program. Volunteers with pets trained and certified through Pet Partners or Alliance for Therapy Dogs bring their dogs to the campuses spend time with the children and families staying at RMHC-CNAZ.
Volunteers must provide certification of accreditation and commit to the program for a minimum of six months.
– Jerry Diaz, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central and Northern Arizona