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Volunteer Highlight

Cedar Community’s Senior Marketing Director, Carrie Sturn wrote this lovely article in their Live More magazine highlighting PHP pet handler team Lori Burback and her dog, Athena. Additionally there is […]

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Community Events, News, Team Stories

PHP on My WI Backyard

My WI Backyard filmed a segment at Congregational Home (CH)with some of our amazing handler/pet teams and some of the residents from CH. Thank you team My WI Backyard for […]

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News, Team Stories

Morning Blend Appearance

We had a PAWSOME visit with our pals at the Morning Blend show. Click the link to view the segment. Thank you Tiffany and Ryan for having us on the […]

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News, Training

We’re Looking for Certified Trainers

Pets Helping People (PHP) is expanding our Training Team. We’re looking to bring on two or three trainers that are certified, particularly with AKC.

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News, Team Stories

Pet Therapy Makes a Difference

Please watch this incredible story of Kayla and her health issue trails and how her stay at Kathy’s House with visits from pet therapy teams including PHP team Kathleen Dunn and Finn make a huge difference in her treatment.

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Community Events, News

MY FURRY VALENTINE! 2023 Photo Contest WINNERS

Come and join the fun with our annual photo contest…enter your dog or just vote!!

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Community Events, News

Get ready to shop with a purpose….

Kendra Scott Jewelry/SHOP FOR GOOD 20% of proceeds are donated to PHP.
March 12 & 13

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Community Events, News

Annual Appeal Letter

This is our largest fundraising event of the year. Your contributions help us continue reaching people in need by training more pet therapy teams and providing more connections to places […]

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Community Events, News

Annual End-of-Year appeal is live!

PHP annual End-of-Year appeal is live!

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Community Events, News

OffLeash MKE hosts HOWL-O-WEENIE 2 to benefit PHP!

A spooktabular event to benefit PHP!!

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Community Events, News

DOGGIE DASH at Fromm Petfest – Sat. Sept 24th

PHP benefits from Doggie Dash at Petfest on Sept 24th!

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Community Events, News

“Shine A Light” – a LIGHT THE HOAN giveback campaign for PHP on Sept 18

Join us and watch the Hoan Bridge light show in honor of PHP and our 24th Anniversary.

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Community Events, News

PHP at Barktoberfest (MADACC) Sat Sept 17

PHP’s first time at this pawsome event. Stop by our booth and meet some pet therapy teams and learn how you can join the PHP Team!! Saturday September 17th from […]

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Community Events, News

PHP at Wagfest – Sat Sept 10

Come meet some of our pet therapy teams and learn more about how you can help people in need in our community. We’ll have information about more upcoming events and […]

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Community Events, News

Movie Night on the Lawn – Sunday, August 21st

NOTE: Address is North 124th Street….not South Come and join the fun and laughs with our presentation of SECRET LIFE OF PETS, an animated film about what pets do when […]

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Community Events

PHP’s Petworks Popup Network event

Mark your calendar…July 13th over the lunch hour come out and meet some PAWSOME dog businesses.

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News, Training

PHP 2021-2022 Pet Therapy Teams Graduation

On Saturday June 4th we gathered to celebrate the handler/pet teams that were certified as a pet therapy teams between June 2021 and May 2022. There were 39 teams this […]

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Community Events

MY FURRY VALENTINE – Photo Contest

See the results, winners and prize packages of our photo contest.

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News, Team Stories

Diane’s Story

When a friend asked her to join the PHP board of directors 20 years ago, Diane said “Yes!” without missing a beat. She could easily see the value of a friendly dog’s visit with someone who is lonely or stressed.

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Team Stories

Team Koda and Beth

“This feels so good!” These are the 4 words that our dog/handler team Koda and Beth hear most often during their pet therapy visits. Here is their story, as told by Beth – just one of many like it from Pets Helping People volunteer teams:

“When my patient, laid-back English lab came along telling me she needed a ‘job,’ we went through training with Pets Helping People. We have been a certified team for almost a year…

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Community Events

Pet therapy can benefit senior living residents

A number of scientific studies have shown the use of pet therapy has a measurable positive impact on heart rate, blood pressure and depression and anxiety, particularly among the elderly. […]

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Community Events
Celebrate 20 years of Pets Helping People

20th Anniversary Event

Mayor Tom Barrett proclaimed September 8th at Pets Helping People day. On that date, we gathered together and celebrated 20 years of Pets Helping People. With a nod to our […]

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Community Events
Thank you!

With Much Gratitude

Thank you to Mike Strehlow and the Channel 58 Sunday Morning team for the opportunity to tell our story. They did such a great job of really capturing what we […]

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News

15 Minutes With: Amy Dodge of Pets Helping People

The following article was published in M Magazine. You can read the entire article here. Nearly 5,000 people in the Milwaukee area are touched by dog owner/therapy dog teams from […]

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Community Events

First Time Grant From the Green Bay Packers Foundation

In early December several Board members from Pets Helping People attended an awards luncheon at Lambeau Field Atrium where PHP was presented with a grant award. Earlier this year a […]

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Community Events

PHP Receives a Donation From ORBIS

On November 9th, Kari Schmidt (President), Diane Miller (Secretary), Heidi La Cosse (Lead Trainer), Amy Dodge (Executive Director) attended a Community Giving reception and awards presentation for the 2017 recipients of […]

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Community Events, Training
2017 October graduating class

Pets Celebrates its 19th Graduation of 26 Teams

Saturday, September 30th marked the 19th graduation class of Pets Helping People.  26 teams officially became certified pet therapy teams.  In keeping with our tradition of celebrating with graduates (both […]

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Community Events
McArthur Elementary

McArthur Elementary School Highlights the Importance of Animal Therapy

Pets Helping people was the focus for McArthur Elementary School project in service learning and problem solving.  The Fearsome Sevensome was a team of children led by Elizabeth Liker that selected Pets […]

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Community Events
press release

Pets Helping People Announces a New Executive Director

The Board of Directors of PETS HELPING PEOPLE (PHP) is pleased to announce Amy Dodge has been named the new Executive Director, effective July 19. Dodge succeeds the Board of […]

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Community Events
Sarah Stock

Waukesha fairest of the fair credits Pets Helping People for her passion for animals and helping others.

WAUKESHA COUNTY FAIR 2017 Sarah Stock of Mukwonago Crowned This Fair’s Fairest By Ashley Haynes, Freeman Staff WAUKESHA — On Wednesday, opening night of this year’s Waukesha County Fair, three hopeful […]

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Community Events
Pets visit Marquette University

Pets Attend Marquette University

On Tuesday, May 9, six teams from Pets Helping People went to Mashuda Hall on the Marquette University campus. We were there during final exams. The students enjoyed being able […]

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Training

2017 April Training Class

We’re very proud of our Training Class! Here are the April 2017 participants.

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Community Events

Pets Present to Mensa

On April 29, Pets Helping People gave a presentation on the benefits of Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI) to Mensa of Wisconsin at the Osthoff Resort. We had 8 teams, including […]

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Community Events

High Interest Day in West Allis

On Friday, April 28, Pets Helping People participated in High Interest Day at Wilson School in West Allis. PHP has been part of High Interest Day for many years. About […]

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Training

2016 Graduation

Thanks to everyone who participated in our 2017 graduation. Congratulations to all of our graduates!

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Community Events

Pets Helping People visits the Jewish Community Center (JCC) on April 12th

Celebrating Passover in the Jewish community included a visit from our pet therapy teams.  Teams spent time on this large Milwaukee area campus with children of all ages along with […]

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Community Events

Pets Helping People Teams Help Students Through Finals Stress

Several teams joined UW-West Bend during finals week 12/14.  Students got to relieve some of their stress and interact with our teams.  There is nothing like spending some time with […]

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Community Events

Visiting the Medical College

Although it was exam time, December 2 was a good day for students at the Medical College of Wisconsin. With special thanks to Sparky, Cheyenne, Holi, Sophie, Milo, Rosie, Libby, […]

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Community Events

Papu and Lula

Papu’s story… Papu, an Adult Day Services client, plays peek-a-boo with Lula, a small Pomeranian pet therapy dog, as she happily sits on his wheelchair lap tray. Through a partnership […]

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Community Events

Pets Visits “Snap On Tools” Lunch and Learn Program

Pet handler Mark Schaefer with therapy dog Riley, visit a lunch and learn at Snap on Tools to share with more than 50 employees the work therapy teams do and […]

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Training

Jim & Lorraine Bahr … and Sophie, too! 

Washington County Volunteer Center – Champions of Change 2016 – Nominated for the Dynamic Duo Award Nominated by Sheila Stuettgen, Aurora Medical Center – Hartford Hospital Jim and Lorraine along […]

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Community Events

Pets Visits Milwaukee Catholic Home

It’s not unusual for Pets to do community outreach.  Once such event was held at the Milwaukee Catholic Home.  Janine Gruna, Pets board member addressed the Pilot Club of Milwaukee.  […]

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Community Events

Pets Visit College Campus

On April 22, the Medical College of Wisconsin opened its doors and welcomed several pet -handler teams to campus for a “De-stress” event for medical students.  The room was full of excitement […]

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Community Events

PHP Was Invited to Speak at Native American Conference

It was a bright and sunny day on June 24 when we partnered with Diana Webster Esq., president and CEO of the Native America Humane Society to present at a […]

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Community Events

A Morning of Fun and Bit of Education at Bethlehem Lutheran Child Care

This past summer Pets Helping People spent a most memorable morning with the delightful children and staff at Bethlehem Lutheran Child Care (BLCC) in Germantown.  During our visit two different […]

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Community Events
PHP at Washington County Humane Socieity

PHP “Romps with the Animals” at Washington Cty Humane Society (WCHS)

This past July PHP was invited to “Romp with the Animals” as part of WCHS’s summer camp.  PHP handlers and their dogs gathered to share some laughter and a bit […]

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Community Events

Waggin’ Tails Visits Eastcastle Place for a bit of Royal Treatment

The Waggin Tails therapy performance troupe visited the residents at Eastcastle Place this past summer.  Blending a bit of education along with therapy dog demonstrations and of course visits with […]

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Training

2015 Annual Graduation

On Sunday, August 23 we celebrated the largest ever Graduating Class in PHP’s history.  Since August of 2014 forty (40) sensitive humans and caring canines have made the commitment to […]

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Training

Congrats to our May 2015 class!

Join us in recognizing the hard work and dedication of … Amy Hansen and “Libby” her very soft English Cream Golden Retriever. Libby was the perfect angel in class and […]

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Training

No fooling, give our April training class a big welcome!

Say hello to … John Rohr and “Maddy” (Coton de Tulear). Maddy is their 3rd dog to come through our program and it’s John’s first time as the handler. Julie Grassel, […]

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Training

March 2015 brings us a small but energetic set of teams

Welcome to George Elleseg and “Derby” (Lab/Golden) who have already stepped in and are doing read to rover at New Berlin Library Sarah Zahorodny, junior handler and daughter of current […]

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Training

Welcome our first class of 2015 which graduated in February

We’re very excited to begin 2015 with a great group of sensitive and caring teams to help us meet some of the many requests we have for cold noses and […]

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Training

Say hi to our class of November 2014

This class is full of energy and are already busy bringing warm smiles and wagging tails to others.  Please welcome Kathy Blu and “Milo” (Shih Tzu); Sandy Robac and “Lyon” […]

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Community Events

Girl Scout Day Camp

 

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Training

Class of 2014 – Celebrating Success

Pets Helping People (PHP) recently held its 16th pet handler team graduation.  PHP brings together owners and their dogs to produce very special pet handler teams.  Dogs that come through […]

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Community Events

PHP Remembers a Remarkable Man – Gregg Fleckenstein

A Resident of Congregational Home & Honorary Member of PHP’s Training Team Gregg in his early years always had a dog around, sometimes 2 or 3 so it was quite […]

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Community Events

Pets Visits Students During High Interest Days

Handler-Pet Teams visited over 100 students at 2 elementary schools this spring – Woodrow Wilson School in West Allis and in Wauwatosa for their High Interest Days.  During these visits […]

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Community Events

Pets Helps Bryant & Stratton College Students with Service Learning Project

A team of nursing students (Candace Dziedzic, Brook Finger & Sarah Wegner) attending Barbara Gunn’s Business Writing Class at B&S college reached out to Pets.  They were doing research for […]

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Community Events, Partner Stories

Girl Scout Troop 8019 “Takes Action”

Dixon Elementary School’s (Brookfield, WI) Brownie Troop 8019 selected Pets Helping People to partner with for their Take Action project, a project designed to teach the girls about becoming involved within their community and helping others.  The girls wanted to do an animal-focused project, and through a connection with Congregational Home in Brookfield, found an organization that helps both animals AND people in need!

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