News

Our 2024 Santa Paws for Seniors program spread so much cheer this year ~ and it's all thanks to a generous donor who filled gift bags for 35 Erie area underserved older adults. Everything was paw-delivered by our certified therapy dogs.

Therapy Dogs United Executive Director Patricia Christianson, along with Ruth Thompson, Executive Director of Erie's ANNA Shelter were in the spotlight as special guests of Nat the Hat, the voice behind LECOMs "Nat the Hat in the 814" all-things Erie podcast.

Shriners Children's Hospital in Erie celebrated our hard working volunteers with a special ceremony to recognize our therapy dog teams. The event coincided with International Dog Day.

Our friends and Community Partners at the ExpERIEnce Children's Museum thanked Team TDU with smile cookies from Tim Hortons on May 1st. It was a nice surprise from Museum staff who stopped in our Erie headquarters to show their appreciation.

Greene Township, PA ~ Therapy Dogs United is excited add one more therapy dog to our lengthy roster of Courthouse Comfort Dogs throughout Pennsylvania providing support and compassion to children scheduled to appear in court for a hearing.

The ExpERIEnce Children's Museum in Erie, PA has expanded its programming to include classes with our therapy dogs.

We are so pleased to honor Therapy Dogs United's 2023 Local and National Volunteers of the Year. Each were honored and celebrated at our Bark Celebration on November 10th in Erie. 

Therapy Dogs United is so incredibly proud of the amazing work our therapy dog team from the North Fort Myers and Cape Coral area is doing.

After a brief hiatus, our monthly eNewsletters have returned! Now you can catch a glimpse of our hard working therapy dogs, read success stories and find out where our hard working teams will be in the community right from your Email inbox!

Our friends at the Erie Yacht Club once again invited therapy dogs from Therapy Dogs United to attend it's annual Frolic on the Bay event. For the past 32 years, EYC has invited individuals with physical and chronic limitations, as well as disadvantaged residents throughout Erie County to participate in a one day sailing event.

The weather was picture perfect onboard the Victorian Princess on Monday, June 19th as 41 therapy dog volunteer handlers gathered to celebrate Therapy Dogs United's 15 year anniversary. Today, we have therapy dog teams volunteering in 13 states, with new locations being added monthly.

The Randy Faipler Memorial Foundation made a huge impact on our charity this past week with a major donation to benefit our programs and services.

Our friends at the Community Blood Bank rock! They hosted a week long blood drive in March and presented our organization with a financial donation to match the number of donors who donated blood!

We are honored to have our therapy dog programs featured! Read more to view the full story from Erie News Now.

Therapy Dogs United's Cape Coral / Fort Myers team received national attention for their efforts to provide comfort and support to Hurricane Ian victims

Our charity's guardian angel, Smith Provision Company, once again chose Therapy Dogs United to be the beneficiary of the 2022 Erie Insurance Charity Challenge golf outing

If you've ever been visited by a certified therapy dog, you know firsthand the amazing work our therapy dogs can do. But have you ever thought about the many ways a therapy dog makes a difference in school?

We are so excited to announce plans to produce and distribute TWO "Top Dogs of TDU" calendars in 2023. Development Director Kelly Philson is working on two calendars for 2023 - one to feature our Erie area therapy dogs, and one to feature our therapy dog superstars across the U.S.!

We are so proud of our in school reading programs, especially this partnership with our friends at Erie First Christian Academy. Thank you Ms. Vogt for your years of dedication to improving reading levels with the use of our therapy dogs.

We are overjoyed by the number of amazing books we collected during our 2022 Book Drive, sponsored by Pressed Book Store on West 8th Street. The generosity from our friends throughout the Erie community overwhelms us!

Therapy Dogs United, in conjunction with Paw & Order Pittsburgh is excited to announce that the first recipient of the Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute "Certified Pet Therapy Staff Scholarship" has been certified and is working to better the lives of staff and patients at AHNCI and AHN.

Whew! As we said good bye to 2020 and ushered in 2021 ~ we did so with much optimism toward the future! One of our goals at Therapy Dogs United is grow nationally, and this April we hit a milestone.

Big thank you to Gannon's student news organization for making Therapy Dogs United the beneficiary of this fundraiser!

Even in the most difficult of times, our therapy dogs and handlers know how to have fun! On Saturday, August 1st our team participated in UPMC Hamot's Doga (yoga with dogs) event at UPMC Park.

We would like to extend our most heartfelt appreciation to every juror and prospective juror who chose to donate their January service payment to Therapy Dogs United during the new jury management system trail run at the Erie County Courthouse.

It's a New Year and if you're decluttering - please consider donating your gently-used kids books to our Library! We have a need for preschool, elementary and young adult books we can either share in our Library or give to kids at various reading events.

Thank you to all the pet lovers who came to the R. Frank Media Studios at 1940 West 8th Street on Saturday, November 23rd for our holiday photo shoot!

Therapy Dogs United celebrated our 2019 Volunteer of the Year on Friday, November 1, 2019 at The Concourse at Union Station. 

Join your friends at Therapy Dogs United for our 2019 Holiday Pet Photos! Professional photographs will be taken by Erie photographer Rob Frank of R. Frank Media.

Several Therapy Dogs United volunteers joined UMPC Hamot employees at the 2019 Fall Fling! Our team was pleased to be a part of the festivities!

Tremendous thank you to Smith Provision Company (Smith's Hotdogs) who golfed for Therapy Dogs United in the 10th annual charity golf challenge at the Kahkwa Club. 

Erie Gives Day 2019 check presentation day! Photo:  Kelly VanZandt, Associate Director, TDU; Michael Batchelor, Erie Community Foundation

Motorcycle enthusiasts from the Erie County Chapter of A.B.A.T.E. showed support for our mission with a Bike Run in July 2019, with proceeds benefiting Therapy Dogs United.

Victorian Princess Cruise, Thursday, August 1, 2019 ~ a great time was had by all. Thank you to Frank Lubresky for the photographs.

Take the time to educate yourself on the difference between Service, Therapy and Emotional Support dogs! 

Welcome Santa - our certified therapy dogs are visiting the kids and families at the Millcreek Mall, Saturday November 11, 2017. Happy Howlidays from all of us at Therapy Dogs United!

Special thanks to the awesome staff at Gelnwood Pet Hospital on Peach Street in Erie for donating proceeds from a recent "Pics with Pets" photo shoot to Therapy Dogs United.

School is back in full swing ~ and that means it's back to business for our certified therapy dogs! Check out the welcome message for students, faculty and friends at the Barber National Institute this week

Get 'em while they're hot!  Our pale blue 2013 "Team TDU" shirts were such a big hit, we've freshened up our look for 2014!

It all ended well...but we still blame Captain Cat!

If you plan to participate in the 2013 Erie Gives Day, please consider donating to Therapy Dogs United, Inc. 

Fun times are coming our way!

Please help Team TDU 2013 by ordering one of our new t-shirts! $15 / shirt and available in S - M - L - XL. Shirts will ship after July 4th. Thank you for your support ~ Woof!

It took more than 150 hours to complete and 15 volunteers to make it happen - but in the end, Therapy Dogs United's entry in the historic 2013 Perry 200 Grand Patriotic Parade is something to bark about.

I would like to thank everyone that supported this project as well. I feel very fortunate to be a volunteer with Tdu, and am blessed to have met so many wonderful people.

Summer is such a busy time of year and there is no shortage of events, activities, parades and visits our therapy dog volunteers are invited to participate in!

Special shout out and a heartfelt thanks to the Polish Falcons of America, Nest 123, for a generous $1000 donation made to Therapy Dogs United.

Therapy Dogs United is excited to build a float for the PERRY 200 Grand Patriotic Parade being celebrated on Saturday, May 25th in downtown Erie. For the past three months, our Float Committee has worked tirelessly to design a float that will be a promising entry in the parade.

Just a quick reminder to Save the Date for Therapy Dogs United's 6th annual Paws in the Park outdoor canine festival scheduled for Saturday, September 21st at Frontier Park.

Vanderbilt University, in conjunction The University of Pittsburgh's Dawn Marcus, M.D., is conducting an online  research survey of therapy dog handlers.

Special thanks to Erie Insurance's Personal Lines Activities Committee who recently raised $194 on a Friday "Jeans Day" to benefit TherapyDogs United! Doggie Kisses to you all!

Today Srs Carolanne and Rita, Rusty and myself accepted the grant during a presentation ceremony at the Jefferson Society. Grants were given to 22 participants that submitted a design for floats to be entered in the parade May 25th, 2013. 

Good Job! Sophie with her owner, Anne, recently participated in a dog safety class with pre-schoolers in the Corry school district. This program works to bring awareness to children on how to safely approach a dog and by the look on the children's faces, Sophie was a big HIT!

GREAT NEWS! We were notified this morning that TDU was awarded a grant for the building of the above float that we will enter in the Perry200 Commemorative Parade May 25, 2013!

I just wanted to give an update on the progress we are making towards our fundraising efforts for the Perry200 float building fund. 

Sure, it may be snowing outside right now....but it's not too early to think summer! Please join your friends at Therapy Dogs United as we get set to lace up our walking shoes for the annual "Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community!"

Thank you to everyone who stopped by Therapy Dogs United's booth at the EKC Dog Show (Bayfront Convention Center in Erie, January 26 and 27, 2013)!

TDU welcomes you to our Blog World ~ and we welcome your posts on our new and improved blog! This new forum will allow you to share your thoughts and stories, get information and discuss what's on your mind 24/7, and yes, it's that easy!