How To Start?

Intermountain Therapy Animals (ITA) is based in Salt Lake City and was founded in 1993. If you feel that you and your companion animal may be interested in becoming a volunteer visiting team with Intermountain Therapy Animals and you are located in Utah, Idaho, or Montana, the first step is for you to read thoroughly this entire document about the requirements and process to qualify for this very unique kind of volunteering.

Diva assists in the physical therapy of a young man at the IMED Center.

Here Is The Complete List of Pre-Requirements

NOTE: Intermountain Therapy Animals operates only in Utah and Montana. If you are looking to volunteer in any other state, please click on our list of ITA AFFILIATES to determine whether there are any ITA-affiliated groups in your area. If so, please contact them directly.

As someone who’s volunteered outside of Salt Lake, when you’re out in a community with 5 different therapy organizations and anyone can say they have a “therapy dog,” not a lot of places really want to open their doors to you. ITA has a large community presence and a standard that my dog and I have to adhere to, which means that local facilities trust us.

ITA also has staff willing to open doors in new places that may not already have a program so that teams can go to places that suit them and their dogs the best. This level of organization makes you feel part of a team and ultimately makes it easier and more rewarding to volunteer. I really appreciate ITA’s level of organization. A lot!

Mark Juraschka & Peabody

ITA Team

ITA Chapters Schedule of 2023-2024 Trainings

Utah - Salt Lake City Area
Pre-Interviews: TBA
Workshop classes: May 2024
Team Assessments: June 9, 2024
For more information please contact: ITA Headquarters
(Email) info@therapyanimals.org (Phone) 801-272-3439
Utah — Ogden/Northern Utah Area 2022
See Salt Lake City Area information.
We have many facilities in the Ogden/Northern Utah Area, though our interviews, workshops, and team assessments are held in Salt Lake City.
For more information please contact: ITA Headquarters
(Email) info@therapyanimals.org (Phone) 801-272-3439
Utah — Southern Utah Area
Workshops: November 4, 2023
Team Assessments: November 5, 2023
Volunteer orientations: TBA
For more information please contact: ITA Headquarters
(Email) info@therapyanimals.org (Phone) 801-272-3439
Montana — Billings Area
Workshops: TBA
Team Assessments: TBA
Volunteer orientations: TBA
For more information please contact: ITA Headquarters Billings Area Coordinator Julie Myers (Email)
julie.myers.21@gmail.com (Phone) 406.860.9573
Montana — Bozeman Area
Workshops: TBA
Team Assessments: TBA
Volunteer orientations: TBA
For more information please contact: Bozeman Chapter Coordinator, Nancy Dodd (Email) nancydodd3@gmail.com (Phone) 406-570-5698
Montana — Helena Area
Workshops: TBA
Team Assessments: TBA
Volunteer orientation: TBA
R.E.A.D. Workshop: TBA
For more information please contact: Helena Chapter New Volunteer Coordinator, Diane Stilson (diane@dee-o-gee.com)
Montana — Flathead Valley
Workshops: TBA
Team Assessments: TBA
Volunteer orientation: October 28th & 29th, 2023
R.E.A.D. Workshop: TBA
For more information please contact: Whitefish Chapter Coordinator, Yvonne Nanasi (Email) femialady@gmail.com (Phone) 605-305-0034