How it all began

On 20 November 2014, Animal Therapies Ltd director Wendy Coombe went to work like any other day as a senior manager for a large ASX-listed corporation. However, that afternoon – with no memory of how she got home – her life took a dramatic turn. A critical path for Wendy’s recovery came in the form of an Assistance Dog called Jack.

The wide-reaching therapeutic benefits of animal-assisted services are now well documented, but Wendy’s personal experience identified some major gaps in the sector within Australia. Until now, there has been no national organisation advancing health through animal-assisted services as a whole.

Animal Therapies Ltd, a registered Health Promotion Charity, was established on 21 February 2018. It offers an impartial lens creating linkages, partnerships and joint initiatives between recipients, the private, public, education & community sectors.

Why Donate

We are “helping some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged Australian’s in need”

While room-based health treatment options exist for many, low rates of treatment adherence, tolerability, affordability and acceptability hinder practitioner’s ability to reduce the devastating impacts associated with some health conditions.

Animal Therapies Ltd (ATL) is a national health promotion charity that connects those in need with animal-assisted services making a difference to individuals and families Australia-wide. Animal-assisted services may help recipients become more self-reliant, able to thrive and improve their life by providing tools to prevent or manage mental illness, disability, disease and suffering.

This includes people at risk of, or who are, suffering mental illness, eye disease, hearing impairment, seizures, asthma, life threatening allergies, diabetes, fluctuating blood pressure, cerebral palsy, autism, post-traumatic stress, episodic or serious medical crises, disability, acquired brain injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke, spinal cord injury and other physical, neurological or psychological conditions.

Animal-Assisted Services leverage a disrupter health support model seeking to deliver health support services differently and has grown out of this need for improved treatment acceptability as a viable alternative to traditional room-based help. The animal is the conduit between the therapist and the client, helping to foster a trusting relationship that provides comfort and promotes a sense of safety and non-judgement, expediting a therapeutic response. ATL’s Animal-Assisted Mental Health Support funding provides an alternative for disadvantaged and vulnerable Australians, partnering people in need with approved animal-assisted service providers who abide by the ATL Code of Ethics

Animal-Assisted Services

Animals Helping Humans

Animal Therapies Ltd (ATL) connects those in need with animal-assisted services that may prevent or help manage disability, illness and suffering. This includes people at risk of, or who are, experiencing mental illness, eye disease, hearing impairment, seizures, asthma, life threatening allergies, diabetes, fluctuating blood pressure, cerebral palsy, autism, post traumatic stress, episodic or serious medical crises, disability, acquired brain injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke, spinal cord injury and other physical, neurological or psychological conditions.

If in crisis, in need of immediate support or concerned for your safety:

Call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

If you are currently experiencing any form of violence or abuse, or are concerned for your safety, call 000.

Listen to our Podcast

Animal Therapies Ltd’s Podcast

Paws for Thought is a podcast about animals changing human lives for the better. Anecdotally we know about the therapeutic powers of animals but the science and research are now validating those beliefs. Animal-assisted services is a recognised field worldwide and through this podcast we hope to educate, entertain and raise awareness among listeners about the countless ways that animals are helping humans.