Pet walk for therapy animals kicks off Saturday – Spectrum News

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RALEIGH, N.C. — This Saturday marks a global pet walk to raise funds for therapy animals. The group Pet Partners is putting on what they’re calling the World’s Largest Pet Walk. 
Saturday will mark five years for the event, with funding going toward teams who visit people in all walks of life and could use the joy that therapy animals can bring. 
Tami Johns received her poodle Jasper just over three years ago as a service animal for herself, but went through training with him so he could be a therapy dog as well. 
“Jasper is such a delightful animal,” Johns said. “He’s very personable, so I really like to get him out so patients and everyone can interact with him.”
Johns is a veteran and knows how much peace Jasper has given her and others. It’s why she never questioned whether it would be worth training him to be a therapy animal. 
“I have PTSD from the Army,” Johns said. “He alerts me to things. I can become hyper vigilant. He comes if someone gets too close to me, he will block in front of me. He searches my home when we first get home, so he does a lot of things for me.”
The money raised in Saturday’s pet walk will help register even more teams of therapy animals.
“Especially if you are in one of those long-term care places, you don’t have a lot of interaction, you don’t have a chance to get outside and see animals. It is a great way for them to come back and interact with them,” Johns said.
The walk can take place anywhere and for any distance. Pet Partners just asks you to donate through their website instead of a registration fee.
For more information, click here. 

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