Animal Assisted Therapy, more commonly known as Pet Therapy helps people of all ages:

With children and adolescents, therapy dogs help demonstrate how to follow direction, teach calming strategies, and stimulate play.

With adults, therapy dogs help promote socialization, reduce feelings of isolation and depression, encourage positive feelings.

With seniors, therapy dogs help improve memory and organization and provide sensory experiences through touch, sight, and sound (Brown, 2009).

Facts About Pet Therapy:

• lowers blood pressure
• decreases stress
• increases social interactions
• provides a sense of psychological and emotional wellness, which in turn, helps patients overcome feelings of depression and loneliness
• helps foster a sense of safety, support and trust in a healthcare setting

All therapy dogs must be licensed through Therapy Dogs International or Delta Society. If you have a therapy dog that is licensed with one of these organizations and are interested in volunteering at Butler Hospital, please contact Linda Dias at ldias@butler.org.

More about Pet Therapy at Butler

Brown, D.P., (2009) Animal Assisted Therapy:  The Layman's Guide to Animal Assisted Therapy, LearningLifeEbooks.com