Program
Gerald B. Shreiber Pet Therapy Program at CHOP
Also called: CHOP Pet Therapy Program
A pet therapy program at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Trained volunteers and their dogs visit patients in the hospital.
- Ages 18 and up
- Clearances needed
- Background check
Saved in this browser only.
What they do
Bring your own registered dog to visit patients at least once a month, in two-hour shifts, going room to room with the program coordinator's guidance.
Who it is for
- Who can join
- Open to anyone
- Ages
- Ages 18 and up
When and where
Each volunteer team visits patients in two-hour shifts, with at least one shift a month.
CHOP main campus
- Address
- 3401 Civic Center Boulevard
- Part of the city
- University Southwest
Your first visit
Feeling unsure the first time is normal. Most groups are glad when someone new walks in.
First step: Read the program's requirements, then send the Application of Interest from its page. The coordinator emails within 5 to 7 business days to set an in-person interview, which you attend without your dog..
Check with the group before you show up. You need to sign up first.
What to expect
The steps run in order: an in-person interview, dog screening at Penn's veterinary hospital, health clearances and background checks, then a two-hour orientation. On your first three visits the program coordinator goes with you. Each visit is a two-hour shift in which you and your dog go room to room to see children in a calmer, more homelike setting.
Tips for your first visit
- Wash your dog within 24 hours of a visit, and bring it in dry.
- Skip flea and tick topical treatments for two days before a visit.
- Keep your dog on a leash and out of strollers or carriers. It wears a CHOP bandana, which the program provides.
- The page has no parking or check-in details, so ask the coordinator where to go on your first visit.
Newcomer welcome
Takes some effort for newcomers (2 out of 5). Why we say this: An application, an interview, dog screening, health clearances, background checks and an orientation all come before the first visit, and the page offers no exemptions..
Cost and commitment
- Cost
- Cost not known yet. CHOP Volunteer Services covers the health clearances and background checks, and the dog screening at Penn's veterinary hospital is free to the owner. The page does not say whether routine vaccines, vet visits or registration fees are covered.
- How often
- About once a month
Access and languages
- Wheelchair access
- We do not know yet. Ask the group before you go.
- Languages spoken
- We do not know yet which languages are spoken.
Requirements
Pennsylvania child clearances
This group works with children. Pennsylvania law says adults who volunteer with children need clearances. The usual ones are a child abuse history check and a State Police criminal record check. Some people also need an FBI fingerprint check. Ask the group which ones you need and how to get them. For unpaid volunteers, the clearances last five years.
- This group asks for a background check.
What to bring or wear: A registered therapy dog aged 1 to 10 on a leash. CHOP provides the bandana the dog wears.
How to reach them
We copy contact details as the group or a public source published them. Each one shows where it came from.
Sources and last check
Checked by our research team on October 8, 2026. This was a closer look, including what a first visit is like.
- Last checked by our team
- October 8, 2026
- Status
- Probably active
- Our confidence in this listing
- Medium
We think this group is probably still active, but the newest sign we found is more than a year old.
- chop.edu, seen October 8, 2026. Supports: Summary, What they do, Audience, Requirements, Cost, Contacts, First step, Location, Status, Schedule, Commitment, First visit tips
- chop.edu, seen October 8, 2026. Supports: Summary, Status
- chop.edu, seen October 8, 2026. Supports: First step
- chop.edu, seen October 8, 2026. Supports: Contacts, Location, Status
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