Superior Land Pet Partners

SLPP meets quarterly to share experiences, talk about activities and goals and provide support for one another. Our meetings are not limited to certified teams, EVERYONE IS WELCOME to attend.

The therapy dog program in Marquette County was started by Brad Jackson, a physical therapist with Marquette General Hospital (MGH).  Upon moving to Marquette in 1996, Brad decided a community organization was needed to foster the interaction of dogs in community health care settings so people could benefit from the unconditional love that only dogs can give. The Upper Michigan Dog Therapy Partnership was born. This non-profit organization was a community benefit of Marquette General Health Care System. MGH was instrumental in arranging to have four local individuals become certified team evaluators through the Delta Society (now Pet Partners).

Formed in 2004, SuperiorLand Pet Partners (SLPP) is a group of experienced dog handlers who provide Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) and Animal Assisted Activities (AAA). The handlers and animals are registered as partner teams with Pet Partners, an international organization headquartered in Seattle, WA. SLPP was formed to bring individual pet partners together in a supportive atmosphere to promote the use of therapy dogs in Marquette and surrounding communities. 

SLPP has approximately 20 registered teams in the Marquette area and several registered teams in other U.P. communities.   Our teams visit hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities.  We participate in various activities such as health fairs, bite prevention programs for children and Read To Me programs at Peter White Library, Aspen Ridge School along with other Read To Me events at local schools and North Star Academy.

Handler Classes and Skills Testings are part of the process for becoming a registered Pet Partner Team.  SLPP provides local Handler Classes and Skills and Aptitude Testing with trained Instructors and Evaluators certified with Pet Partners. The classes and testings are conducted 3-4 times a year.