How we began
Love on a Leash® was started in the early 1980s by pet therapy enthusiasts in North San Diego County.
As the realization of the positive power of pet therapy started to grow, the organization established a framework and certification process for people to provide pet therapy to others. Love on a Leash® was incorporated in 1995 as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization based in San Diego County, California. Over the years, Love on a Leash® has expanded beyond Southern California to nearly every state in the USA. As of September 2024, there are over 2,600 Love on a Leash® members, volunteering as Love on a Leash® therapy teams with their dogs, cats, and/or rabbits. In many communities, volunteers have formed chapters to help coordinate visits and provide support, motivation, and social interaction.
