Become Part of Pete's Pet Posse
Would you like to become part of Pete’s Pet Posse and help make a difference in the lives of students, faculty, staff, and visitors to the OSU campus?
If you are employed at OSU, and have an animal you think would be a great therapy pet, you can apply by completing an application. Scholarships are available. Applications are accepted each year during August and September and must be signed by your department head or supervisor, as well as the facilities manager.
The selection process takes approximately three months and training for the program begins in January. Please note that submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance into the program, as spots are limited.
Applications are currently closed.
More About Applying
- Who Can Apply?
Applications are available to OSU faculty and staff. Graduate students are considered, but priority will be given to faculty/staff. Undergraduate students are not eligible to apply.
Please note that an application does not guarantee admission to the program and class size is limited.
- Expectations of Owners/Handlers
It is both an honor and privilege to be part of Pete’s Pet Posse, and with that comes certain responsibilities. If you and your animal are selected to participate as a pet therapy team, you will be asked to sign a contract. A sampling of the responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- The owner/handler will work with the department to determine the work schedule of the therapy dog and the role the pet therapy dog will play within the department.
- Once accepted into the program, dogs will not be allowed to visit campus in a pet therapy role until group training has been completed and the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) has been passed. Upon passing the CGC, pet therapy teams will then visit campus and practice for the national registration test with Alliance of Therapy Dogs.
- While on campus, the owner/handler must keep the dog on leash at all times and must use approved P3 gear provided by Pete's Pet Posse.
- Dogs shall not be fed a raw dog food diet.
- The owner/handler will be responsible for the hygiene of the dog. Pet must be clean and well-groomed when working.
- While at work, all fecal material must be discarded immediately in the appropriate waste receptacles.
- The work area shall remain neat and tidy.
- The owner/handler will be asked to track any visits outside of the normal scope of the animal’s work environment. A visit tracking form will be provided. This will allow the Governing Board to track the impact of the program – number of visits and number of people reached.
- The owner/handler may be expected to participate in various in-service training as determined necessary.
- Pete's Pet Posse teams may not conduct visits at non-OSU sponsored events representing the OSU pet therapy program. If a pet therapy team is asked to attend a non-sponsored OSU event, and the team agrees, the owner must remove all P3 gear purchased by the program and the visit should be conducted as a visit for Alliance of Therapy Dogs. Teams are nationally registered and may conduct pet therapy visits outside of OSU, but cannot represent the university when doing so.
- If at any time the owner/handler does not follow the contractual guidelines, the Governing Board reserves the right to remove him/her from the program and all benefits provided will be lost. The animal will remain with the owner/handler.
- If the owner/handler chooses to leave the program with less than one year of service, the owner/handler will be required to reimburse the program for the cost of all benefits received up to the point of departure.
- The Application Process
Applications are accepted once per year, during the months of August and September. The application process takes approximately three months to complete. Submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance into the program. The Governing Board provides one scholarship per year. If you qualify, please submit the scholarship application with the regular application form.
Once you have submitted an application to become part of Pete’s Pet Posse, the program coordinator will contact you (the owner/handler) to schedule an interview with a sub-committee of the Governing Board (human only), and the physical exam and disposition evaluation for the animal. You will be asked to schedule an appointment at OSUVMH for the physical exam and appointment times have been blocked. The disposition evaluation is done by the P3 trainer, Dr. Alissa Huckabay. There is no fee to apply, but OSUVMH charges $70 for the physical exam and payment is required at the time services are rendered. There is no refund if the animal is not accepted into the program.
Once the interview, physical exam, and disposition evaluation are completed, the results are provided to the Pete’s Pet Posse Governing Board. The Governing Board makes the final determination on therapy teams accepted into the program. Applicants are notified of the Board’s decision in December and training begins in January.
If your animal is already certified/registered as a therapy animal, the same process and fees still apply.
Ann Hargis OSU Center for Pet Therapy Governing Board
The OSU Pet Therapy Governing Board is comprised of individuals who have an interest in Pete's Pet Posse and the Ann Hargis OSU Center for Pet Therapy.
Governing Board Members currently include:
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- Elizabeth Carver-Cyr, Assistant Director, Residential Life, Family Resource Center
- Kendria Cost, Director, Ann Hargis OSU Center for Pet Therapy
- Brandee Hancock, Chief Legal Officer, Deputy General Counsel at OSU A&M Board of Regents
- Trevor Richardson, Director, Counseling and Sports Psychology, OSU Athletics
- Sarah Maxey, HIPAA Analyst, Compliance Office, OSU-CHS
- Bonnie Skaggs, Events and Wellness Support Coordinator, OSU-OKC
- Dr. Ryan Chung, Assistant Vice Provost
- Dr. Rachel Schmitz, Associate Professor, Sociology
- Coral White, Executive Administrative Associate, Human Resources
The role of the OSU-Stillwater Pet Therapy Governing Board includes, but is not limited to:
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- Oversees all aspects of the OSU Pet Therapy Program.
- Approves all teams accepted into the OSU-Stillwater program.
- Oversees expansion to other OSU campuses.
- Meets regularly to discuss the program and evaluate the effectiveness and direction.
Ann Hargis OSU Center for Pet Therapy Advisory Board
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- Ann Hargis, Former Oklahoma State University First Lady and Pete's Pet Posse Co-Founder
- Rachel Shreffler, Director, OSU Benefits, OSU Human Resources
- Lara Sypniewski, DVM, OSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital
The responsibilities and role of the Ann Hargis OSU Center for Pet Therapy Advisory Board are currently being developed.