Animal Assisted Activity Programs
Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) utilizes pets as therapy to provide people with a source of motivation, happiness and education. Visits can be arranged in variety of settings with various types of specially trained animals certified in obedience training. People with disabilities and many others benefit immensely from the companionship and interaction with animals ranging from mini horses and dogs to rabbits and cats. These animal assisted activities are casual in nature but with clear objective to promote and sustain a greater well-being. For more information about our program partners and their service area, please contact us or visit: or
Expanding Our Reach with Spirit Cove’s Life-Saving Canines
Since 2021, our Southern program partner, Spirit Cove (TN), has been working with 30+ giant-breed Newfoundland therapy dogs to provide healing in hospitals, firehouses, police stations, schools, and other locations across 20+ states—and growing! These incredible giants are AKC-trained and possess an instinctual need to rescue humans in need. Their presence brings emotional relief, comfort, and encouragement to those facing challenges.
In a short time, this partnership has already led to an astonishing 99,730 interactions with these compassionate “Newfie Therapists,” helping people move forward with hope and resilience.
Bringing Healing & Connection to Those Who Serve
Since 2019, 1 FUR 1 has proudly partnered with Kindred Spirits Therapy Minis in the Florida Panhandle to bring comfort and companionship to service members, veterans, and seniors with disabilities—many of whom experience isolation due to deployment or living assisted living. At the heart of this mission is a dedicated leader who serves our country as an Air Force service member, while also volunteering with four extraordinary therapy mini horses. These gentle animals, specially trained and certified through Pet Partners, Eagala, and METSA (Miniature Equine Therapy Standard Association), provide emotional support and healing to those in need.
Together, we’ve impacted over 4,630 individuals—and counting! Through this partnership, we continue to spread hope, resilience, and the transformative power of human-animal connection.
Driven by Impact
Together, these programs demonstrate the immense power of human-animal connections, transforming lives across the country. A decade-long national research study developed by 1 FUR 1 Foundation measuring the effectiveness of a single Animal Assisted Activity (AAA) session provided in a group setting. Its purpose is to document and substantiate the positive health impact specially trained and certified animals have on people in group setting seeking alternative healthcare.The 1 FUR 1 Foundation network of partners started this Animal Assisted Activity (AAA) Group Survey back in 2019 and we plan to publish this research and its results in 2029. As we continue to grow, we invite you to be part of this inspiring movement and becoming 1fur1impact club member.
TESTIMONIALS:
In 2022, our organization was facing dramatic increase in demand for our services. To meet those increased demands, and with the strategic and fiscal support of the 1 FUR 1 Foundation we were able to attend our first major event, the Newfoundland Club of America’s National Specialty. This event gave us the unique opportunity to meet with Newfoundland dog owners from across the country. As a result, we expanded our teams into the North East and was able to launch a growing therapy team to support the students and staff of Princeton University. 1 FUR 1 strips away the isolation of being a small non profit organization by teaming us up with their partner organizations and consultants that helped us to increase our overall marketing and strategic capabilities.”
Lisa Shiller – Founder of Spirit Cove