Thera-Pets



IMPROVING HUMAN HEALTH ONE BRAY AT A TIME



Thera-Pets




Our Mission


Improve human heath through the use of farm animals


Our Goals


To travel to facilities and provide therapy visits. In addition, we will provide on-site programs and visitation.

To provide programs to meet the needs of the community for individuals with disabilities.

Our groups are tailored to the individuals needs and abilities.


Why Donkeys?


  • Donkeys are smaller and less intimidating than some farm animals allowing someone with no animal experience to get close to them.
  • They are naturally calm animals, often choosing to stand stoic in a crisis while deciding what to do.
  • They are very social animals and love attention.


Other farm animals


We currently have a bunny that travels to the nursing homes.

On the farm we have a variety of other animals goats, horses, alpacas, chickens, ducks, peacocks, and pigeons.



How We're Helping


  • We provide facility visitation with therapy donkeys and sometimes other farm animals.
  • We provide on-site farm visits
  • We assist in the community attending fund raising events for other non-profits organizations.
  • We provide education to schools about donkeys and animal assisted therapy.
  • We provide training for volunteers who have a passion for working with animals and making a difference in people's daily lives.


Getting Involved

  • Are you passionate about what we are doing?
  • We are always looking for volunteers to help us make our vision a reality.
  • We help you find a way to volunteer that suits your interests.
  • We're excited to have you join our team.
  • To learn more about volunteering with our organization go to our volunteer page.


Thank you!!

Whether you help through monetary donations, volunteering your time, or spreading our mission through word-of-mouth, thank you.


We couldn't accomplish our goals without the help of supporters like you.​







Our Services

VISITATION

Thera-Pets, has been taking Miniature Donkeys and other small farm animals on visits for over 10 years now. We rely solely on private donations to fund all our programs and we continue to offer our services free of charge. The donkeys have the perfect temperament, making them the perfect therapy animal. They are calm, quiet and friendly. They are the perfect size to walk up to wheelchairs and bedsides. They are beautiful and certainly not what you would expect.



Kickin' Up Dust Farm - Donkeys & Friends Group
Jacob and Amanda grooming Misty Blu



Donkeys & Friends Group
taking the donkeys for a walk through the woods



ON THE FARM


Our services are offered at Kickin' Up Dust Farm in Schuyler Falls, NY. Kickin' Up Dust Farm has been hosting all of Thera-Pets programs since 2017. Usually visits are by appointment only but they do offer published days when the farm is open. You can go to our visitation page to schedule a visit. We also offer scheduling through email or Facebook. The farm has a variety of animals to interact with Horses, Donkeys, Alpacas, Goats, a variety of game birds, chickens and ducks, pigeons and pheasants. There is often new life on the farm. Who doesn't like to see babies? There is a large playground area and picnic area and it's a short walk to a state park with waterfront. Visits can be schedule for families or small groups. The farm can accommodate schools and larger groups too. We have a group for disabled children ages 6 - 16 yrs old called Donkeys and Friends.



COMMUNITY SUPPORT

The organization also supports other not for profit organization by attending community events with the donkeys and sometimes other animals depending on the event. We attend community events that are available to the general public, like the Applefest Parade, Dannemora Fall Festival, NYSCOBA Easter Event and Stress reduction event at Plattsburgh State College, just to name a few.



We strive to provide a relaxing,
peaceful interaction


Schedule a visit

Please consider making a donation.

Imagine you or a family member in a nursing home,
and in walks a donkey



We need your help to keep our programs going and free to those we serve


DONATE

How we got started




Thera-Pets, Inc. is indebted to our founder Dr. Reverend Kenneth Parker, his passion for helping people and giving back to his community has been the hallmark of his career and life. In 2003, after retiring from 33 years serving as pastor for Peru Community Church Rev. Parker decided he was still not done serving his community. He has always had a love of animals and instinctive drive to help people and a keen sense of the incredible connection between people and animals.

Dr. Parker first tried raising rabbits and various breeds of birds but found they were not the best option for therapy work. While visiting Jamaica he interacted with miniature donkeys and immediately fell in love. When he returned, he quickly purchased several donkeys. The donkeys turned out to be the perfect animal their calm, even tempered, intelligent sensitive manor allowed Thera-Pets to flourish and continued to enrich all the lives of the participants and volunteers. We now visit numerous facilities throughout the North Country and beyond and our children's program continues to evolve to meet the diverse needs of the children in the North Country. We can't thank Dr. Parker enough for his contribution.

His personal and professional experience had taught him that the human animal connection could have a profound healing benefits for children and adults. This prompted the idea to start an animal therapy program. Dr. Parker's creative and unique, thought of using farm animals, proved to be something special and different. Ken along with a small group of volunteers started Thera-Pets for people with intellectual developmental disabilities and the elderly.


The program is no long run from Ken Parkers farm, Thera-Pets is currently hosted at Kickin' Up Dust Farm, Owned by Kenneth and Holly Besaw who have been volunteering with Thera-Pets since 2010. In 2017 Thera-Pets transitioned over to Kickin' Up Dust Farm.