The impact that pets and therapy animals have on our mental health can’t be overstated. Whether you’ve met one of the best therapy dog breeds in hospital or at college, or your cat has simply been more affectionate than usual after a stressful day, you’ll know that this is true – and research agrees.
Pet food company Purina is aiming to use the bond between pets and humans to help one million people in vulnerable situations by 2030. Part of this pledge is the BetterWithPets Prize, which supports charities that harness our relationship with our pets to help people who need it.
One such charity is Pets As Therapy, a UK-based organization that hopes for everyone in the country to have access to the companionship of a pet no matter their circumstances.
Andy Price began volunteering alongside his dog Lola, and they started visiting a local care home.
“Lola really did make an incredible difference,” he tells PetsRadar. “Every time she entered the room it was like an emotional lightbulb had been turned on. The residents, who mainly suffered from Alzheimer’s, lit up with huge smiles and enthusiasm when they saw her.”
In 2018, he began visiting Great Ormond Street Hospital, a children’s hospital in London, with Lola and then with Ozzy, who took over from her in 2023. Andy explains that many of the children and their families spend a long time at the hospital and will look forward to ‘Ozzy Fridays’ each week – and Ozzy gets to support children before they undergo procedures, walk with them as they go for tests and scans, and even being there during procedures to provide a paw to hold.
Fellow volunteer Diana Smith often takes her golden retriever, Ollie, to visit residents in a care home.
“I decided to get involved with the organization as my 96-year-old mother had been in a rehabilitation center after her hip was replaced and a dog visited there every week,” she explains. “I found this so inspiring and wanted to share the love of my own pet with others.”
Diana found that residents who struggle with mobility and speech find Ollie to be particularly therapeutic, with a “positive shift” in them over the course of their visits. But she’s also found it useful for herself, too, adding, “The experience has given me a better understanding of my mother’s care and allowed me to observe how older people suffer from loneliness. I’ve been able to see firsthand how pets offer such significant mental health benefits, particularly at care homes.”
Jeff Hamilton, CEO of Nestlé Purina PetCare Europe, told PetsRadar: “Andy and Diana’s stories reflect the amazing work that the charity does to boost mental health and wellbeing through therapeutic pet visits. From visiting care homes to hospitals, Andy and Diana have had a significant impact on so many thanks to them sharing the joy of their pets.
And, as Andy puts it, “If I were to sum up why I do it, I would say that it is that huge ‘lightbulb’ smile when they see the dog and the enormous difference that it makes as they go through often the toughest time in their lives and that of their families.”
If you’re thinking of getting a dog and you’re hoping that being a pet parent will help boost your own mental health, here are the best dogs for anxiety and best dogs for emotional support.
