A Healer is an individual that has the ability and willingness to create sustainable, positive change on behalf of others. Healers strive to mend something broken - from spirits, minds, bodies, and ecosystems, to relationships, cultural paradigms, and experiences.

We envision a state of individual, family, community, cultural, and planetary health - facilitated by Healers.

Care for the Healer (CFTH) is a U.S.-based nonprofit, 501(c)(3 ) organization built by Healers to stand as an advocate for ourselves, our colleagues, and our communities.

The medical professions are not where healing ends. Unrecognized and unsung Healers are all around us - we see evidence every day that animals are Healers.

We believe that the health of humans, animals, and our planet are intertwined and dependent. Awareness of the human-animal bond, consideration of animal-inclusive ethics, and respect toward animals are critical to all conversations. Our Animals as Healers initiative engages in opportunities to highlight the role of animals as Healers in our families, communities, and our world.

Examples of Animal Healers:

Canine Veterans | A canine veteran is a dog that has served in the military or other armed forces, directly alongside human soldiers. The exceptional skills and abilities of these highly trained dogs make them essential to success of a team's mission and valuable partners to their human handlers. Learn about Drago, the Canine Veteran.

Service & Therapy Dogs | Service dogs have been trained to perform tasks to mitigate their handler's disability and include amazing canines such as Guide dogs, Mobility Assistance Dogs, Medical Alert Dogs, and Psychiatric or PTSD Service Dogs. Emotional Support Dogs provide comfort to their handler through their presence. A therapy animal is a dog that has been trained to work with their handler to provide comfort and support to another person.

Animal as Healers Initiative:

Our Animals as Healers initiative is intended to support constructive acts of bringing animal awareness clearly, scientifically, and compassionately into all conversations. Our goal is to increase awareness of animal consent and safety in all situations, emphasizing that leveraging ideas and actions which prioritize animal wellbeing, will also support the better health and safety of humans.

Here are some ways in which Animal Healers can be supported:

Working Animal Field Care, Respite & Advocacy | On-site veterinary first aid medical support, respite areas for working animal teams, job-specific medical care & monitoring. Advocating for appropriate, adequate, and continued training and work-rest cycles for both physical and emotional support roles.

Educational Exhibits & Outreach | Education to animal guardians and care professionals on the identity of a Healer, including animals within their own homes and families, and the unique career stressors experienced by animals serving in a healing role.

The Preparedness Collective | Programs to raise disaster preparedness awareness and action among animal caregivers to increase community and family planning, likelihood of evacuation success, and safety for animals within the families affected by disaster.

Our Current Project | Animal-aware disaster planning & response.

Animals are in our homes and communities - they are exposed to the same risks as our human family members. This risk includes the threat of natural disasters such as caused by wildfires and hurricanes.

In a disaster, caregivers make preparedness and evacuation decisions based on their animal's sheltering and care needs. Detection canines lead the search for survivors and therapy dogs teams care for displaced families. Medical alert service animals continue to monitor their human partner, even during stressful evacuations or in chaotic sheltering environments.

During a large-scale disaster, response organizations, teams, and volunteers may not have the knowledge or resources to also adequately care for affected animals. The budgets and training of response organizations may not be animal-aware or animal-inclusive. We believe that by leveraging animal wellbeing as a common goal, animal-aware disaster planning and response can promote human preparedness, improve evacuation success of humans, and contribute to the resilient recovery of the entire family-unit.

This campaign aims to raise $5,000 to support the role of animals as Healers during emergencies, disasters, and large-scale disruptions during the upcoming World Congress on Planetary Health and full-scale disaster exercise in June 2025. This event is one in a series of conferences and multi-national exercises hosted to create an opportunity for emergency planners working at a global scale to pilot and refine solutions, collaborate across industries and cultures, and share best tools and practices.

Funds from the Animals as Healers Initiative will be utilized in the following ways during the June 2025 conference and disaster exercise:

Onsite veterinary first-aid & respite areas for service animals
Supporting rest / work cycles for working animals in both physical & emotional support roles
Veterinary field medical care & stress monitoring for working animal teams (therapy dogs, search & rescue dogs)
Evacuation counseling and shelter planning for immunocompromised or senior animals
Support to companion animals in evacuation shelters - physiologic & psychologic health assessments & support

We believe that the health of humans, animals, and our planet are intertwined and dependent. Your financial contribution allows our team to take action for the health and wellbeing of Animal Healers.

Thank you. 🐾💕

Animals as Healers (CFTH Compassion Program)

By Care for the Healer

Animals as Healers (CFTH Compassion Program)

Support the role of animals as healers in our families, community, and world.

Team Members