SHARE (Special Human-Animal Relationships)

Read the New York Times article on the many benefits of pet therapy.

For more than 20 years, The Marin Humane Society has been visiting convalescent centers to provide animal-assisted therapy. In 1987, the award-winning SHARE Program expanded its animal-assisted therapy to help seniors and people with AIDS who still live at home with their animal companions. SHARE volunteers walk dogs, groom cats, transport pets to the veterinarian or the groomer, and deliver free pet food and pet supplies to SHARE clients.

SHARE consists of several programs that provide a variety of services with the common goal of keeping good friends – people and companion animals – together. The love, support and companionship pets have to offer, not to mention the medical findings that prove they are good for us, are invaluable, especially to someone who is ill or isolated. SHARE's services help people who have a great respect and love for animals maintain a special bond with pets. SHARE does this by:

• Providing pet care assistance to low-income seniors, persons living with HIV/AIDS and those receiving hospice services (Side-by-Side)
• Bringing animals to facilities to visit persons who can no longer share their lives with pets (Animal-Assisted Therapy)
• Conducting adoptions for home-bound individuals (Special Adoptions)
• Collecting pet food donations to be distributed to persons in need (Pet Meals on Wheels)
• Offering a unique dog obedience class for seniors and their canine companions (Senior Dog Handler)
• Helping children improve literacy skills (Share A Book program)

SHARE not only provides all of these services to Marin residents, it also is a resource for many other organizations and individuals. Many requests have been fulfilled for materials and presentations at other organizations and, in 1989, SHARE was nationally recognized for receiving the Delta Society's Model Program Award.

The Side-by-Side program is the largest part of SHARE and is currently assisting 220 clients with 150 dogs, 196 cats and 38 birds. Side-by-Side matches financial support, volunteer efforts and donated services with qualified pet guardians in need. Assistance is offered in the form of pet food, veterinary care, grooming, regular visits to clients by volunteers, transportation to the veterinarian or groomer, walking dogs, maintaining litterboxes, and emergency boarding of pets in the event of clients' hospitalizations. Networking with other service organizations in the county is vital to coordinating assistance to the growing number of older adults in Marin. There are 90 volunteers working in the Side-by-Side program.

The Animal-Assisted Therapy program is now visiting 50 different care facilities in Marin. The majority are convalescent hospitals, nursing homes and senior day programs. The program at Marin General has been a great success for over 14 years. Volunteers visit many departments, including cardiac care, intensive care, the mental health crisis unit and the senior day program. Our newest program at Kaiser Hospital visits both inpatient hospital and the outpatient oncology department. SHARE also provides a special 4-week education program to all the classes at the Sunny Hills Children's Garden school each year. The SHARE a Book program brings dogs to reading programs at schools to help children improve their literacy skills. The Animal-Assisted Therapy program consists of 65 people, 60 dogs, 4 cats, 4 rabbits, a guinea pig, a hamster and a rooster.

The Pet Meals on Wheels program provides pet food to clients of the Side-by-Side program and other needy individuals. Donation boxes are located in eight stores in Marin; patrons of participating stores are asked to purchase extra pet food to donate. Volunteers monitor and collect the pet food for distribution from The Marin Humane Society and by Whistlestop through their Meals on Wheels program. Additional pet food is purchased to ensure that all recipients consistently receive quality pet food.

Special Adoptions enable individuals who cannot come to The Marin Humane Society's adoption department the opportunity to bring a pet into their lives. In-home interviews and adoption counseling are provided and an appropriate pet is matched with the individual.

The Senior Dog Handler dog obedience classes are designed to meet the unique needs of seniors or persons with disabilities. The classes are slower paced and provide individual assistance as necessary. The Behavior & Training Department coordinates these classes.


Studies show that canine companions can help struggling children improve reading skills. Share A Book participants work closely with local teachers, reading specialists and librarians. The program is designed to help children improve literacy skills while offering them an opportunity to have fun reading — to dogs! Learn more about the Share A Book program.