Celebrating National Therapy Animal Day
- Stacey Coventry
- May 4
- 2 min read
Updated: May 4
On April 27, 2026, at City Hall, the Bangor City Council officially recognized April 30 as Therapy Animal Day with a proclamation—joining hundreds of cities across the country in honoring the work of therapy animals and the humans who walk beside them.
And I’m still trying to find the words for what that feels like.
Because this was never just about a day.
It was never just about recognition.
It was about believing—quietly, persistently—that what we were building mattered.
That the moments we, with our canine partners, all create…
the wagging tails in hospital hallways,
the comfort offered without words,
the way a dog can soften grief, anxiety, fear…
that those moments deserved to be seen.
This proclamation isn’t mine.
It belongs to every single one of us.
To the nearly 30 therapy dog teams (and growing) who have given over 1,500 hours this past year across our hospitals and communities…
To the handlers who show up, again and again, answering the call without hesitation…
To the dogs—our partners—who somehow always know exactly what’s needed.
You are the reason this is happening.
And maybe the most surreal part…
We are now officially Pet Partners of Eastern Maine—with a full Board of Directors—awaiting our 501(c)(3) status.
Just a few days ago.
If that’s not alignment, I don’t know what is.
And tonight… I stood there with Koda—where this all began—remembering when we were just one team, one dog, one quiet belief that this could be something more.
Now, beside him, Pigeon—representing the next generation, the growth, the future.
A passing of the torch.
A gentle transition from a lifetime of service into retirement…
and at the very same moment, the beginning of all that is still to come.
Grateful.
Humbled.
And so incredibly proud.
This is just the beginning. -Stacey R. Coventry, Executive Director
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