Request a Visit

Healing Tails   |   San Diego County

We’re so excited to bring our therapy dogs into your space to share connection, comfort, and calm.

Healing Tails visits are led by experienced handlers and exceptional rescue dogs carefully selected for their gentle, people-loving temperaments. Each dog has been trained to bring calm, connection, and emotional support to a variety of settings—helping individuals and groups de-stress, recharge, and experience moments of joy and grounding.

Before You Request a Visit

  • Service Area: We currently serve San Diego County.

  • Visit Types: We offer one-time, recurring, or special event visits for schools, workplaces, care facilities, community events, and more.

  • Group Size & Setting: Dogs do best in small-group or rotational formats. We may decline requests where the environment could be overwhelming or unsafe for the dogs.

  • Cost: Healing Tails visits are currently donation-based. Contributions help fund training and care for our rescue dogs.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A DONATION TO our 501c3 ORGANIZATION, PLEASE CLICK HERE!

Thank you for taking the time to read this information and help us assure that our Healing Tails teams and those we visit are set up for successful visits.

BE SURE TO PUSH THE RED SUBMIT BUTTON at the very bottom of this page to ensure that your request is received

Therapy Dog Visit Request Form

Ex: Flying Eagle School, First Samaritan Hospital, Golden Wings Care Center
Knowing this helps Healing Tails teams be well-prepared for their visit. Ex: we have a resident animal, we have birds in our lobby, some of our residents have animals, etc. For insurance reasons and everyone’s safety, please be aware that our animals will not be meeting or greeting other animals that might be in attendance.
e.g June 2, 10-noon, please note teams cannot visit more than 2 hours in one day. So additional teams are needed for visits longer than 2 hours.
For example: We have a resident dog in the building, Validated parking for volunteers. Volunteers need to attend an Orientation Session, have health screening and complete a background check prior to visiting, etc.

💸  Does Healing Tails Charge for Therapy Dog Visits?

Healing Tails is a nonprofit organization, and our therapy dog visits are made possible by dedicated volunteer handlers, donors, and sponsors who believe in the healing power of the human–animal bond. While we do not charge a set fee for visits, we do request a small tax-deductible donation fee for most visits, and donations are deeply appreciated and help us continue training exceptional rescue dogs and making wellness visits accessible to the community.

If you’d like to support our work, you can make a tax-deductible donation here.

🌍  Requests Outside San Diego County

Healing Tails currently serves San Diego County and surrounding areas. If you’re located outside our service range, we may not be able to fulfill your request—but we’re happy to help connect you with another organization if possible.

If you’re seeking a therapy dog visit in a different region, we recommend checking out national registries like Pet Partners to find qualified teams near you.

🏥  Requesting Visits for Hospitals or Hospice Facilities

Many hospitals and hospice agencies have their own volunteer onboarding procedures—including orientations, background checks, health clearances, and facility-specific training. Because of this, we ask that you request a therapy dog visit directly through the hospital or hospice’s Volunteer Services Department. If Healing Tails is an approved community partner, we’ll work with them to coordinate the visit.

🔎  Background Checks & Safety

All Healing Tails therapy teams are carefully vetted and trained to ensure safe, respectful, and professional visits. While we are not currently registered through Pet Partners, our team members undergo handler training, dog behavior evaluations, and adhere to strict visit protocols to ensure both dog and human participants are supported.

We’re happy to discuss our safety and vetting process further if your facility has specific requirements.