Registered charity · Bathurst NSW · since 2012

Our story, our teams

PAWS Pet Therapy trains volunteers and their own dogs to bring companionship and wellbeing to hospitals, aged care and schools. 580+ teams trained, 62k smiles a year, and counting.

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A scruffy PAWS therapy dog grinning up at the camera on its purple lead

Founder and CEO

Sharon Stewart

Sharon founded PAWS Pet Therapy in 2012, bringing together more than 30 years of nursing experience with a lifelong love of animals and people. She is passionate about animal welfare and preserving the precious human–animal bond, and believes strongly in the comfort, connection and joy animals can bring to our lives.

Sharon particularly loves training and supporting new PAWS teams and seeing the difference they can make. She is incredibly proud of the wonderful community of people and animals that PAWS has become.

Away from PAWS, Sharon enjoys life on her 10-acre property with husband Russell and their ever-growing menagerie. When time allows, a ride on her Andalusian x Clydesdale, Boston, is Sharon's own favourite form of pet therapy.

Thinking of joining us? Start with the volunteer quiz, or read PAWS stories.

Our story

The PAWS story so far

PAWS Pet Therapy was founded in 2012 by Registered Nurse Sharon Stewart, bringing together her lifelong love of animals with a passion for caring for people. What began in the Southern Highlands of NSW with just three volunteer teams soon grew into a professional, registered charity built on high standards, quality training and a deep respect for the human–animal bond.

Today, PAWS operates from offices in Orangeville and Bathurst, NSW, supporting volunteer teams across NSW and interstate. More than 580 teams have now been trained, and with both face-to-face and flexible remote training options, people and their dogs from across Australia can become part of the PAWS family and make a difference in their own communities.

Over the years, PAWS has expanded into hospitals, aged care, health, education and community settings, while also developing unique children's programs and providing community and crisis support. Every service is tailored to the people and communities we support.

At the heart of PAWS are our wonderful volunteers and their equally wonderful dogs: all shapes, sizes, backgrounds and personalities. We proudly welcome suitable rescue dogs too, and love seeing dogs who may have had a difficult start discover just how much they have to give.

Through all the growth and change, the heart of PAWS has remained the same: a belief in the precious human–animal bond and the quiet magic that happens when people and dogs come together. Dogs offer companionship without judgement, comfort without words and an extraordinary ability to make difficult moments feel just a little brighter.

We are immensely proud of how far PAWS has come, but there are still so many people and communities we would love to reach. Our story is still being written, one volunteer, one dog and one special connection at a time.

A line of PAWS volunteers in purple and white shirts with their therapy dogs at an outdoor community event

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything. But I can do something."

Pam Ahern, Edgar's Mission

A smiling nurse hugging a golden retriever therapy dog in a hospital reception area

Where we operate

Wherever you live, there's a pathway for you

PAWS Pet Therapy currently operates across NSW, including rural and regional areas, and in other Australian states and territories. We would love to reach more people, and provide a service that can be accessed by anyone who needs it.

Regardless of where you live, we have a training package to suit you and your dog. If you can travel to Orangeville, NSW, you can join us at one of our face-to-face practical training and assessment days. For regional and interstate teams, we offer a tailored training pathway combining the PAWS course, videos of you and your dog, and an assessment over Zoom.

No matter where you live, we will place you in your local community and provide ongoing support. Help us bring PAWS visits to more communities! If you and your dog would like to join us, we'd love to hear from you.

Take the volunteer quiz

Behind the scenes

The PAWS committee

It takes an army of people to keep PAWS running. Meet the committee.

Russell StewartPresident

A steadfast supporter since PAWS began in 2012, working alongside his wife, founder Sharon Stewart. Russell brings decades of experience managing staff and complex programs, and is a familiar face at PAWS training and assessment days.

John DurbridgeVice President

A PAWS supporter for over 10 years. John provided PAWS headquarters with office space in Orangeville, NSW for eight years, and remains hands-on with training days, events and the day-to-day running of PAWS.

Megan Flood, PAWS Pet Therapy committee member

Megan FloodCommittee member

Megan joined PAWS with her Labrador, Leona, visiting schools, hospitals, aged care and corporate settings. She won the 2022 Zep Award for Volunteering Excellence and stayed on the committee after Leona's passing in 2024.

David Muller, PAWS Pet Therapy committee member

David MullerCommittee member

David and his rescue dog Bronix have volunteered since 2023, regularly visiting the mental health wards at Campbelltown Hospital, the Macarthur Cancer Therapy Centre and Ambarvale High School. Recipient of the 2024 Zep Award for Volunteering Excellence.

Christina Bakker, PAWS Pet Therapy committee member

Christina BakkerCommittee member

Christina joined PAWS in 2018 with her dog Pepper Potts and won the 2021 Zep Award for Volunteering Excellence. She later supported new volunteers through the PAWS office, and now visits aged care with her dog Dave alongside her committee role.

Office HQ

Working hard to keep it all going

Nadine Kosztka, PAWS Pet Therapy Office Manager

Nadine KosztkaOffice Manager

My role with PAWS Pet Therapy is Office Manager, and I work from the Orangeville office. I have always enjoyed working in fields where I can interact with people and be a part of bringing a smile to someone's day.

I spent many years managing Sydney's Famous & Original Doll Hospital in Bexley NSW, a very rewarding and interesting place to work, before I was lucky enough to begin my time with PAWS Pet Therapy in October of 2023.

I've always had dogs in my life, and discovering how special pet therapy is, the joy and comfort it can provide over such a wide range of different areas, has been incredible! Walking into a nursing home, for example, with one of our teams and seeing faces light up with excitement, watching worries melt away, is so uplifting.

I enjoy my work with PAWS Pet Therapy very much and always look forward to welcoming more very special volunteers and their furry best friends to join us!

Pamela De Leon, PAWS Pet Therapy Volunteer Recruitment and Support Manager

Pamela De LeonVolunteer Recruitment and Support Manager

Pam brings a background in event management, extensive volunteering experience and a lifelong love of animals to her role at PAWS Pet Therapy. She is currently studying an Advanced Certificate in Animal Science, building her knowledge of animal behaviour and welfare.

Her events career has taken her to some wonderful venues and given her the chance to be part of events such as the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Through volunteering with a range of organisations, Pam has also had life-changing experiences and found meaningful ways to give back to the community.

Pam loves being part of the PAWS family. She especially enjoys getting to know our volunteer teams and helping them find opportunities to make a difference through the bond between people and animals.

Our promise

Our dogs' welfare is #1

Our dogs are everything at PAWS. They are our friends, our colleagues, a shoulder to cry on and a warm body to snuggle up to. We love them and they love us. What an honour it is to share these wonderful beings with so many others.

How proud are we when we see them bring smiles to faces of people unwell and unsure of their future? When we witness a new sense of confidence in children? When we see a wonderful friendship develop with those who are lonely?

PAWS dogs are true professionals. They know they have an important job to do and they pride themselves in doing it well. When the PAWS vest appears, they are excited, knowing they will bring joy and love to so many special people during their visit.

PAWS dogs DO love their work, but we never underestimate the effect it can have on them. They start their day with a wash, a clip as needed and a brush, then on goes the PAWS vest, collar and lead. A trip in the car to an unknown destination, meeting many new faces in an unfamiliar environment, with a range of smells and noises.

But then the fun starts: meeting people, up and down on beds, wheelchairs and chairs, being patted, cuddled, cried on and read to. Our dogs take it all in their stride, but we are always there to support them, to advocate for them and to protect them. They give so much of themselves, and take on so much: the emotions, fears, anxieties and moods of the people they meet, patients, their families and staff.

So we need to protect our dogs and keep them fresh and happy in their work. The PAWS course teaches us all to listen to our dogs, to be guided by their amazing intuition, and to respect and support them in their workplace. Being aware of our dog's energy levels, of their likes and dislikes, physical limitations and special skills, ensures we support our dogs to deliver the highest level of professional service, while keeping everyone safe.

Understanding the causes, symptoms and prevention of stress and fatigue in therapy dogs underpins the entire PAWS course, and ensures these wonderful 4-legged therapists thrive in their work, enjoy their special moments and are recognised and rewarded for the profound difference they make.

To our 580+ PAWS dogs, thank you. X