People usually look up pet therapy when they’re weighing up a program for a hospital, aged care home, school, or workplace—or when they’re wondering whether a therapy animal could genuinely help with stress, pain, or recovery. The benefits can be real, but they’re often described too broadly, and that’s where expectations (and safety) can slip.
Animal-assisted therapy and related “therapy animal” visits sit in a space where small moments matter: a steadier breath, a gentler rehab session, a bit more willingness to speak, or simply less tension in the room. The strongest evidence points to short-term reductions in stress and anxiety, with mixed results for longer-term or complex outcomes, so it helps to understand what these programs can—and can’t—promise.6, 7
What “pet therapy” actually means
In everyday conversation, “pet therapy” is used for anything from visiting dogs in a hospital ward to structured work with a clinician and an animal. In professional settings, you’ll often see broader terms like animal-assisted interventions (AAI), with more specific categories underneath.
- Animal-assisted therapy (AAT): a goal-directed intervention that includes an animal as part of treatment delivered by a credentialed therapist (for example, a mental health clinician or allied health professional).2
- Animal-assisted activities (AAA): less formal visits intended to support comfort and quality of life (often volunteer-led).2
The difference matters. It shapes consent, screening, documentation, infection control, and what outcomes you can reasonably expect.
A brief history: from observation to organised practice
Accounts of animals being used around people who are ill appear across long stretches of history, but modern animal-assisted therapy is usually traced to the mid-20th century. Child psychologist Boris M. Levinson described how a dog present in sessions could help some children engage, and his early publications helped push the idea into clinical conversation.1
Formal organisations followed. In the United States, the Delta Foundation formed in 1977, became the Delta Society in 1981, and later changed its name to Pet Partners (2012). This helped standardise training and volunteer programs at scale.3
What the evidence supports (and what it doesn’t)
Stress and anxiety: the clearest, most consistent benefit
Across many settings, AAIs tend to show their strongest effects on acute stress and anxiety: the nerves before an exam, the strain of a hospital stay, the pressure of a difficult appointment. Systematic reviews of randomised trials in higher education settings, for example, commonly find short-term anxiety reductions, while effects on other outcomes are smaller or inconsistent.7
In medical settings, meta-analytic evidence also suggests reductions in distress and anxiety, with study quality and methods varying widely between trials.8
Mood and depression: promising, but uneven
Some research finds improvements in mood or depressive symptoms, but results vary by population, program design, and the measures used. The most reliable pattern is that benefits—when they occur—are often modest and short-term, rather than a replacement for established mental health care.6
Pain and comfort: possible relief, not a cure
In healthcare environments, gentle contact with a calm animal can shift attention, soften physiological stress responses, and make discomfort feel more manageable. Meta-analyses in medical settings suggest AAIs can reduce pain and distress in some contexts, though study designs differ and more rigorous trials are still needed.8
Cardiovascular health: association is not a prescription
Pet ownership (especially dog ownership) has been associated with lower cardiovascular risk in some studies. But major cardiology guidance has also cautioned against adopting a pet primarily to reduce cardiovascular risk, because the evidence doesn’t support that kind of guarantee and personal circumstances vary.9
Dementia and aged care: small gains, mixed outcomes
In dementia care, animal-assisted therapy may slightly reduce depressive symptoms, but evidence is limited and not consistent across outcomes like agitation, daily function, or quality of life. Importantly, the research base is still small and often difficult to blind, which affects certainty.10
Physical rehabilitation: where animals can help the work feel possible
In rehabilitation settings, a well-run program can make movement feel less clinical and more achievable—walking a few extra steps to greet a dog, practising reach and balance while brushing, or simply staying engaged for longer. The animal isn’t “doing the rehab”, but it can change the atmosphere in a way that supports participation, which is often half the battle.
Good programs keep goals practical and observable: increased participation, more time on task, improved willingness to attempt an exercise, or reduced distress during sessions. When claims drift beyond that—promising faster healing or guaranteed recovery—it’s time to slow down and ask for evidence and governance.
Social and emotional effects: connection, attention, and a calmer room
Animals can act as social catalysts. In group spaces, they give people a shared focus, a reason to speak, and a natural pause in the day. For some people who find direct eye contact or conversation difficult, stroking a dog or watching an animal’s steady behaviour can make interaction easier.
These effects are real, but they’re also situational. The animal’s temperament, the handler’s skill, the environment, and the individual’s preferences all matter. Not everyone wants contact with an animal, and a good program treats that as ordinary.
Where pet therapy is used (and what usually matters most)
Hospitals and healthcare facilities
In hospitals, therapy animal visits are typically designed to reduce distress, support morale, and offer brief relief from the sensory sameness of clinical rooms. The most important ingredients are not novelty, but governance: screening, consent, hand hygiene, and clear rules about where animals can and can’t go.2
Aged care
In aged care, visits often aim to support mood, reduce loneliness, and prompt conversation. Sessions tend to work best when they are predictable, gentle, and short, with staff who know residents’ health status, triggers, allergies, and preferences.
Schools, universities, and workplaces
On campuses and in workplaces, AAIs are usually positioned as brief stress-reduction supports. Evidence from student settings suggests short-term anxiety benefits are plausible, especially around high-pressure periods, but these programs are not a substitute for broader mental health supports.7
Animals used in therapy: what’s common (and what’s sensible)
Dogs are the most common therapy animals in structured programs because they can be trained for predictable, steady behaviour and are comfortable with controlled social contact in many environments. Other species may be used in specific contexts (for example, equine-assisted activities), but suitability depends heavily on setting, handling expertise, and risk management.
In healthcare facilities, guidance commonly recommends excluding certain animals (such as reptiles) from these programs because of infection and unpredictability risks, and emphasises that participating animals should be healthy, clean, vaccinated, and under veterinary care.2
Safety, infection control, and animal welfare: the quiet backbone of any good program
Well-run therapy animal programs are built around simple controls that protect patients, staff, handlers, and the animals themselves. In healthcare environments, infection control guidance commonly stresses hand hygiene after contact, minimising exposure to saliva and waste, and involving infection-control staff in planning.2
Animal welfare is part of safety. A skilled handler watches for signs of stress and ends sessions early when needed. The animal’s role is not to tolerate everything; it’s to be steady and safe in short, well-managed encounters.
How to get involved in pet therapy in Australia
If you’re considering volunteering with a therapy animal, start with an established organisation that has clear screening, training, and insurance. Requirements vary, but typically include:
- assessment of the dog’s temperament, obedience, and comfort around unfamiliar people
- handler training (including facility rules, hygiene, and managing risk)
- health checks and up-to-date vaccination status for the animal
- background checks for the handler (for example, Working With Children Check where relevant)4, 5
In Australia, examples include Delta Therapy Dogs (with different pathways for university/corporate visits versus clinician-supported AAT programs) and Therapy Dogs Australia, which offers training with assessment components.4, 5
Final thoughts
Pet therapy works best when it’s treated as a small, well-governed intervention: brief, safe contact that reliably reduces stress for some people, some of the time. The evidence is strongest for short-term anxiety and distress relief, with more mixed results for complex outcomes like long-term depression, cognition, or disease progression.7, 10
In the right setting, with the right animal and a careful handler, the effect can feel simple and immediate. A calmer breath. A steadier voice. A room that softens, just enough for the next step.
References
- Boris M. Levinson (background and early publications associated with “pet therapy”)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Animals in Health-Care Facilities (definitions and infection-control considerations)
- Pet Partners: History (Delta Foundation/Delta Society and name change to Pet Partners)
- Delta Therapy Dogs (Australia): Volunteer pathways and training overview
- Nepean Therapy Dogs: Volunteer requirements and dog/handler assessment overview
- Johns Hopkins Psychiatry Guide: Animal-Assisted Interventions (summary of evidence strengths and limitations)
- Systematic review (RCTs): Animal-assisted interventions for mental health outcomes in higher education students
- Meta-analysis: Animal-assisted interventions targeting pain, anxiety and distress in medical settings
- American College of Cardiology summary of AHA scientific statement: Pet ownership and cardiovascular risk
- Cochrane Review: Animal-assisted therapy for people with dementia (2019, published 25 November 2019)
Veterinary Advisor, Veterinarian London Area, United Kingdom