10/15/2026
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Research spotlight: Can the presence of a therapy dog make a measurable difference?
A recent pilot randomized controlled trial explored that question with 60 adults hospitalized for the treatment of mental illness.
Participants received one of three conditions: a visit with a registered therapy dog and handler, a conversation with the handler without the dog present, or usual care.
Researchers found that mood and anxiety improved more following the therapy dog and handler visits than in the other two groups. Depression also decreased, with similar improvements in the dog-and-handler and handler-only groups compared with usual care (Gee et al., 2026).
Research like this can help professionals better understand the role therapy animals may play within thoughtfully designed animal-assisted interventions.
Follow us to see how AAAIP supports professionals with education, resources, and standards for animal-assisted interventions.
Gee, N. R., et al. (2026). A pilot randomized controlled trial examining the impact of therapy dog visitation on mood, anxiety, and depression in patients hospitalized for the treatment of mental illness. Healthcare, 14(10), 1420.
