A Decade of HIPAA-Compliant
Clinical Evaluations Una Década de Evaluaciones Clínicas HIPAA-Conformes

WASHINGTON, DC — March 2026 — As state legislatures crack down on fraudulent service animal documentation and regulators increase scrutiny of online "instant letter" services, Washington, DC–based nonprofit TheraPetic® Healthcare Provider Group is marking a decade of HIPAA-compliant clinical evaluations. Founded by Dr. Patrick Fisher, PhD, NCC, LPC, the organization reports it has served more than 50,000 families across all 50 states since 2016 while keeping its documentation pricing unchanged for a decade.

Ten years ago, Dr. Fisher began building a nonprofit model designed to address a growing problem: individuals who needed legitimate clinical documentation were often unable to access healthcare providers familiar with disability accommodation law, while others were misled by online services selling registrations or letters without clinical evaluation. TheraPetic® was established as a nonprofit to expand access to legitimate clinical assessments.

The COVID-19 pandemic normalized telehealth — but it also opened the door to predatory services using the language of digital healthcare to sell documentation that was never clinical. More than 30 states have now enacted or proposed legislation targeting fraudulent service animal documentation. In 2021, the U.S. Department of Transportation revised its air travel regulations, removing support animal protections following widespread abuse of online documentation services.

The legal distinction matters. Service animals are defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act as dogs trained to perform specific tasks for a person with a disability. Emotional support animals may qualify for housing accommodations under the Fair Housing Act when supported by appropriate clinical documentation from a licensed healthcare professional. Federal housing law does not recognize animal registries or certificates as substitutes for that documentation.

TheraPetic®'s evaluation process uses HIPAA-compliant clinical assessments reviewed by licensed clinicians — not automated approvals or documentation issued without clinical review. Every document includes a unique QR verification code at verify.mypsd.org. A sample redacted evaluation letter is available at therapetic.net/press.

TheraPetic® has a longstanding commitment to active military personnel and veterans. Service and support animals play a documented role in the lives of veterans managing PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and the demands of military service. Active duty service members, veterans, and their families are encouraged to contact help@mypsd.org to learn about available support.

For its 10-year anniversary, TheraPetic® is launching HANK — a bilingual AI assistant guiding individuals through intake and educational resources before connecting them with a licensed clinician — and Service Dog Training Plus, providing video-reviewed verification that a service dog can perform trained disability-related tasks. A member drawing offers lifetime memberships and complimentary packages.

Documentation packages range from $99 to $199 — unchanged since 2016. TheraPetic®'s process qualifies as a medical expense eligible for HSA and FSA reimbursement. Tax-deductible donations support the mission at mypsd.org/donate.

TheraPetic Solutions, Inc. (EIN: 81-3003968) is verifiable through the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search and GuideStar. TheraPetic® is a federally registered trademark, USPTO Serial No. 87439357.

WASHINGTON, DC — Marzo 2026 — TheraPetic® Healthcare Provider Group marca una década de evaluaciones clínicas HIPAA-conformes. Fundada por el Dr. Patrick Fisher, PhD, NCC, LPC, la organización ha servido a más de 50,000 familias en los 50 estados desde 2016, manteniendo sus precios sin cambios por una década.

El proceso usa evaluaciones clínicas HIPAA-conformes revisadas por clínicos licenciados. Cada documento incluye un código QR único verificable en verify.mypsd.org. TheraPetic® tiene un compromiso especial con militares activos y veteranos.

Los paquetes van de $99 a $199 — sin cambios desde 2016, elegibles para reembolso HSA y FSA. Donaciones deducibles de impuestos: mypsd.org/donate.

TheraPetic Solutions, Inc. (EIN: 81-3003968) verificable en apps.irs.gov y GuideStar. Marca registrada No. USPTO 87439357. therapetic.net

WASHINGTON, DC — In the early 2010s, Dr. Patrick Fisher was doing the kind of clinical work that rarely attracts attention: observing how animals affected people living with anxiety and other invisible disabilities, and asking a question few researchers had studied empirically. Do support animals actually work — and if so, what specific therapeutic role do they play?

His doctoral research at Walden University helped answer that question. The peer-reviewed work identified six therapeutic themes underlying support animal partnerships, contributing to the clinical literature on human-animal interaction. Instead of leaving the findings in an academic archive, Dr. Fisher used them to build something practical.

Ten years later, the nonprofit network he founded — TheraPetic® Healthcare Provider Group — reports it has served more than 50,000 individuals across all 50 states while maintaining its $99 starting price since 2016.

The organization was created in response to a growing challenge facing people seeking disability accommodations for support animals. While legitimate evaluations must be conducted by licensed healthcare professionals under federal housing law, the internet has seen the rise of websites selling instant "service animal registrations" or certificates without any clinical review.

The distinction has increasingly drawn attention from policymakers. More than 30 states have enacted or proposed legislation addressing fraudulent service animal documentation. In 2021, the U.S. Department of Transportation revised its air travel regulations after widespread abuse of online documentation services. The Federal Trade Commission has also increased enforcement activity targeting companies marketing instant letters without clinical evaluation.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a fundamental shift in how Americans access healthcare. As telehealth appointments replaced in-person visits overnight, millions of patients experienced for the first time what TheraPetic® had been building since 2016 — that legitimate clinical care could be delivered remotely, securely, and effectively. But the same shift that normalized telehealth also opened the door to predatory services using the language of digital healthcare to sell documentation that was never clinical.

The legal distinction matters.

Service animals are defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act as dogs trained to perform specific tasks for a person with a disability. Emotional support animals may qualify for housing accommodations under the Fair Housing Act when supported by appropriate clinical documentation from a licensed healthcare professional. Federal housing law does not recognize animal registries or certificates as substitutes for that documentation.

TheraPetic®'s evaluation process uses HIPAA-compliant clinical assessments reviewed by licensed clinicians — rather than automated approvals or documentation issued without clinical review. Every document issued includes a unique QR verification code for independent third-party confirmation at verify.mypsd.org. A sample redacted evaluation letter is available for download at therapetic.net/press, illustrating how clinically reviewed documentation differs from commercially sold certificates.

Serving Those Who Served

TheraPetic® has a longstanding commitment to active military personnel and veterans, communities that carry a disproportionate share of the invisible disabilities this organization was built to serve. Service animals and support animals play a documented role in the lives of veterans managing PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and the psychological weight of military service — yet these are often the individuals most vulnerable to predatory documentation services and most in need of a trustworthy clinical pathway. Active duty service members, veterans, and their families are encouraged to reach out directly at help@mypsd.org.

2026 Anniversary Initiatives

To mark its 10-year anniversary, TheraPetic® is introducing several initiatives across its nonprofit network.

HANK — a conversational AI assistant named after Dr. Fisher's late French Bulldog — guides individuals through intake and educational resources in English and Spanish before connecting them with a licensed clinician for evaluation.

Service Dog Training Plus provides video-reviewed verification confirming a service dog can perform trained disability-related tasks, developed in response to increasing airline and housing provider requests for training documentation.

TheraPetic App 3.0 — a rebuilt mobile application featuring document access, user dashboards, and integrated educational resources related to service animal housing rights — is now available on Apple and Google Play.

A 10-Year Anniversary member drawing offers lifetime memberships, multi-year renewal extensions, and complimentary Training Plus packages to active, new, and renewing members.

Documentation packages range from $99 to $199 — unchanged since 2016. As a clinical evaluation conducted by licensed clinicians, TheraPetic®'s process qualifies as a medical expense eligible for Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) reimbursement — making legitimate documentation accessible to families already managing healthcare costs.

A Mission Worth Supporting

TheraPetic® operates as a nonprofit focused on expanding access to legitimate clinical evaluations for individuals who rely on service dogs or support animals for disability-related needs. Tax-deductible donations directly support free consumer education, assistance for veterans and underserved communities, and the operational infrastructure that keeps clinical evaluations accessible and affordable. To support the mission: mypsd.org/donate.

TheraPetic Solutions, Inc. (EIN: 81-3003968) operates as a federally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Tax-exempt status is verifiable through the IRS Exempt Organizations database and GuideStar. TheraPetic® is a federally registered trademark, USPTO Serial No. 87439357.

WASHINGTON, DC — Marzo 2026 — TheraPetic® Healthcare Provider Group marca una década de evaluaciones clínicas HIPAA-conformes. Fundada por el Dr. Patrick Fisher, PhD, NCC, LPC, la organización reporta haber servido a más de 50,000 familias en los 50 estados desde 2016, manteniendo sus precios sin cambios por una década.

El proceso de TheraPetic® usa evaluaciones clínicas HIPAA-conformes revisadas por clínicos licenciados. Cada documento incluye un código QR único verificable en verify.mypsd.org. Muestra de carta disponible en therapetic.net/press. TheraPetic Solutions, Inc. (EIN: 81-3003968) verificable en apps.irs.gov y GuideStar.

TheraPetic® tiene un compromiso especial con militares activos y veteranos que dependen de animales de servicio para el PTSD y lesiones cerebrales traumáticas. Los paquetes van de $99 a $199 — sin cambios desde 2016, elegibles para reembolso HSA y FSA. Donaciones deducibles: mypsd.org/donate.