You do not need to join the BTER Foundation to use this site and most of its resources. But when you become a paid member of the BTER Foundation, you not only help us help others, but you also help yourself to our free insurance billing/coding services, access to the BTER Foundation library, and a whole host of other membership benefits, listed below.

Qualifications of membership

  1. Professional members – individuals trained and/or working in biotherapy related fields, including health care, education, zoology, microbiology, biomedical research, and vendors of biotherapy products.
  2. Community members – Members who wish to support the mission of the Foundation, but do not qualify for Professional membership. This includes, but is not limited to, non-therapist community members, former professional members now retired.
  3. Student members – Individuals receiving formal training in any field; with appropriate documentation (i.e., current identification card, letter from institution official).
  4. Honorary member – Membership in this category will be at the discretion of the Board of Directors (with recommendations by the Membership Committee), and is by invitation only, based on significant past contributions to the field or on related medical, environmental or humanitarian activities. It is expected that there will be no more than one or two Honorary Members conferred each year.

Member Benefits for all Membership Categories

  1.  BTER Foundation members are leaders and participants in the movement to improve the access of therapists and patients to beneficial animals. Is there any greater benefit than that?
  2. Free access to most BTER Foundation educational materials (policies and procedures, education books, CD’s, and other products produced by the Foundation).
  3. Ability to recommend BTER Foundation projects and provide influential feedback on content of educational materials.
  4. Discounts on BTER Foundation education programs. Usually 10-20% discounts on workshop registration, conferences, etc.
  5. Discounts on multi-year membership dues.
  6. Tiered Discounts at BTER Foundation Gift Shop.
    • Student members receive $5 off
    • Community members receive $10 off – a free lunch bag!
    • Professional members receive $20 off – a free t-shirt, book, or scrub top!
  7. Free electronic access to the Foundation’s newsletter: The BeTER LeTTER (printed copies may require a postage subsidy).
  8. Professional and Community Members also have voting privileges.

Additional Benefits for Professional Members only

  1. Free listing in the Therapist Referral Pages (non-members pay $60/year).
  2. Free web page (single page) on the BTER Foundation web-site (additional pages and custom web-design is available at cost).
  3. Referrals for lectures, interviews and other opportunities, some of which may involve reimbursement directly to the member. (Note: unlike Board Members, regular members are not required to submit their Biotherapy-related honoraria or consulting fees to the Foundation.)
  4. Free access to the BTER Foundation’s physical library (located in Irvine, CA) of Biotherapy references (current holdings of over 500 papers)
  5. $20 Discount at BTER Foundation Gift Shop – amounts to a free t-shirt, book, or scrub top!
  6. Pending – Discounted access to “Claims Appeal Assistance service, in which the BTER Foundation will assist members with denials for Biotherapy reimbursement.
  7. Pending – Free or discounted subscription to the Official Journal of the BTER Foundation (the specific journal has yet to be determined).

Member dues

Membership Category 1 year 2 years 3 years
Corporate members $250 $450 $600
Professional members $125 $225 $300
Community members $55 $100 $135
Student members $25 $45 $60
Honorary member (lifelong, by invitation) Gratis

Note: 10% off dues, each year, with a 2-year membership; 20% off dues, each year, with a 3-year membership. Membership dues will be recommended by the Membership Committee and approved by the Board of Directors. Members can join at any time; membership renewals will be due on January 1 every year thereafter.

Ready to become a member? Then join on-line or download and submit a membership form.

Still thinking about becoming a member? Consider this:

  • Membership qualifies you for access and substantial discounts to courses and meetings, scientific literature, restricted pages on this website, and opportunities to network with other members. Community membership will pay for itself just with the savings at one of our conferences.
  • Your tax-deductible donation helps a lot of people! Each community membership ($55) could save a limb, by covering the cost of a bottle of medicinal maggots or 4 medicinal leeches. It pays for the supplies needed to teach 5 therapists how to do these limb-saving treatments.
  • Membership is simple, inexpensive, and it’s just the right thing to do. You will feel great!
  • To join right now, download and submit a membership form.