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# Animal-assisted therapy group needs new shelter
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/animal-assisted-therapy-group-needs-new-shelter/
- Published: 2003-07-16T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T02:32:19.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Health, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Daily Press staff*

A locally-based animal-assisted therapy organization is looking for a new home. Create-A-Smile has been renting office and training space from a church in Santa Monica but the rent unexpectedly is being raised by 40 percent, which the organization can’t afford.

A new facility with a minimum of 2,500 square feet is needed to avoid thousands of patients not receiving their therapeutic visits, Create-A-Smile officials say.

The organization provides therapy to more than 180 facilities and 27,000 patients in the Los Angeles area at no cost.

Create-A-Smile is the only organization in Southern California that provides training, testing, certification and placement of nationally recognized and insured animal-assisted therapy animals and volunteers since 1995\. Registered therapy animals include dogs, cats, birds, hamsters, rabbits, miniature horses and other pets.

Facilities that are currently visited include hospitals, abused children centers, convalescent hospitals, battered women shelters, special education schools, prisons, VA facilities, psychiatric institutions and handicapped day care facilities.

For more information, call (310) 392-6257 or visit www.CREATE-A- SMILE.ORG.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 16, 2003.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/071603.pdf?ref=smdp.com)