PAWS Pet Therapy was founded in 2012 in response to a need in the Southern Highlands of NSW for a safe, professional and truly meaningful pet-assisted therapy service. With a background as a Registered Nurse and a lifelong love of animals, Sharon Stewart brought together two powerful passions — caring for people and the healing power of dogs — and registered PAWS as a charity.

From very humble beginnings, with just three volunteer teams (including one very proud mum) visiting aged care homes, disability groups and the chemotherapy unit at Bowral, PAWS quickly built a reputation for high standards, strong training and genuine professionalism. As word spread, so did the wagging tails.
 

Today, PAWS operates from its headquarters in Orangeville, NSW, supporting volunteer teams across New South Wales and beyond. Our Office Manager, Nadine, runs a wonderfully tight ship, making sure teams are supported and equipped to deliver a quality service to our hundreds of facilities.
 

Our welcoming Orangeville office is generously provided by our Vice President, John Durbridge, giving PAWS a professional home base for training, coordination and support.
 

A tree change in 2025 opened the door for Sharon (and husband Russell – Vice President) to establish a second office in Bathurst, with the exciting goal of growing PAWS services throughout the Central West of NSW and strengthening support for regional communities.
 

Having now trained more than 550 dedicated volunteer teams, PAWS continues to grow in strength, reach and impact. With both face-to-face and remote training options, our course is accessible to new teams right across Australia. Yet no matter how large we grow, our focus remains exactly the same — bringing comfort, companionship and moments of genuine connection to people who need it most, wherever they may be.
 

Over the years, PAWS has developed a range of unique programs, many designed especially for children. Programs such as PAWS’n’Tales, Mate @ the Gate and Jab Dogs help young people through tough moments — whether it’s lining up for a vaccination, building confidence with reading, or finding the courage to walk into the classroom. All of our services are tailored to the unique needs of our clients.
 

PAWS volunteers come from all walks of life, united by kindness, compassion and a belief in the power of the human–animal bond. Their canine partners are just as wonderfully diverse — all shapes, sizes and personalities — and each with an incredible ability to connect, comfort and calm. We proudly welcome rescue dogs into our program, and time and again we see dogs who have had a rough start in life truly shine when given love, training and a purpose.
 

From the very beginning, we have believed in the quiet magic that happens when people and dogs come together. Dogs offer love without judgement, loyalty without question and comfort without words. They have a remarkable way of turning anxious moments into calm, and lonely moments into something a little brighter.
 

We are immensely proud of what PAWS has achieved so far — and even more excited about what lies ahead. This is only the beginning of our story, and we invite you to follow the journey with us… the heart-warming moments, the challenges, the laughter, and the many lives touched along the way.