People Animals Love (PAL) — Local services in Washington

I would stay away from this organization. My dog passed the canine good citizen test but “failed” this evaluation test. He was absolutely perfect throughout. He’s extremely friendly. They brought noise makers, wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, had obedience tests etc. he did great! He’s a 2 year old golden retriever who has a big drive for people and being pet. The organization has lost the focus that this is volunteering and people do this to give back. It’s for the patients/people who want to be with a dog for comfort.They are actually looking for dogs who are aloof and a dog who will listen on one command. They are not alliance of therapy dog evaluators, yet act like they are. The test is nothing like the alliance for therapy dog video they presented in the zoom intro. It was 45 minutes long and there was no room for any error.You couldn’t even say hello or show interest in any dog. There were significant flaws in the test and instructions as well. The directions are not clear and extremely confusing. It’s not the same test for each dog, I saw the dog before me going through it. My dog is calm, confident, loves all types of people, and dogs. And is sweet and safe. And loves being pet. My goal for this review is to let other dog owners know this organization is looking for listening on one command(don’t say sit twice) and a dog who is aloof(has no interest in other dogs). Don’t waste your time and money going here. I will be volunteering at a different organization where the goals actually match mine…to help people. The Alliance of Therapy Dog organization is amazing. My dog passed the Alliance of Therapy Dog test and all observations two weeks after taking this PALS test (where the evaluators said he wasn’t ready)and is now a certified therapy dog volunteering at hospital settings and others including honor flights. He is so happy with...

Wow! PAL absolutely lives their mission! It's an outstanding organization committed to highlighting the human and animal bond in so many different ways to benefit the lives of children and adults. I've volunteered with them, along with my PAL pup, for well over a year and we absolutely love it! If you have a few extra hours each month and want to truly impact the lives of others, then PAL is the right choice for you and your beloved animal. I have had the great fortune in volunteering in many different formats with PAL and each one has been incredibly fulfilling. From Zoom sessions listening to children read, to sessions with children creating artwork or playing musical instruments to on-site volunteering in a wide array of settings, my PAL pup and I have savored each experience. While we hoped that we would bring moments of joy to others in the process, I found that by giving of ourselves, we, in turn, were just as fulfilled by the warm and loving expressions and interactions with all of the children and adults. The PAL leadership team is supportive, highly engaged with all aspects of the organization and committed to providing experiences to positively impact the lives of others. Their knowledgeable backgrounds, coupled with their passion for human-animal connections allows them to create unique experiences that allow handlers and their animals to share their gifts of time, kindness and love with young children all the way through seniors and elderly adults. When the PAL bandana comes out, my PAL pup knows that we are about to embark on another experience where laughter, smiles and genuine happiness will be seen in the eyes of those we are visiting as well in our eyes and hearts. My PAL pup and I are grateful to have PAL as an organization where we can volunteer our time to brighten the...

I don’t think they are bad people just a little over zealous, Keep in mind I do believe they’re all volunteers so their knowledge and time just like ours is very limited. There are different organizations that offer the same services . But I have been learning through my research of similar agencies, and some of the agencies do blur the lines between a service dog and a therapeutic/emotional support, dog which there is no comparison.what so ever. It took a few weeks but they did email with helpful recommendations for us to work on see if we could better our skills to meet what they are looking for. It’s very difficult because everything is so subjective of how one see things. I’m going to try and see if it helps we have nothing to lose. luckily I have been able to continue some of our therapy support to those we have a proven relationship with others who work with PAL exclusively unfortunately you wouldn’t be able to do anything with that organization from what I understand unless they include another agency who is better equipped to select therapeutic animals and they want to work with you and your dog. I hope this is helpful information...