The Healing Power of Therapy Dogs

Living with a life-threatening illness like cancer requires working through emotional, social and spiritual issues.  Therapy dogs help boost morale, self esteem and overall feelings of well being.

Therapeutic Touch:

Petting a dog releases beneficial hormones into the bloodstream known to be associated with healing and feelings of well being.

Socialization:

Pet owners experience increased social interaction which leads to a better sense of psychological well being.

Blunt Pain:

By initiating and maintaining the relaxation response, pets take a person’s focus off of their pain and elevate their mood.

Mental Health:

Patients who have pets are less depressed or anxious than those who do not own pets.

Empathy:

Children who spend time with pets develop higher levels of empathy and learn responsibility.

Motivation and Learning:

Therapy dogs stimulate learning and intellectual development.

Immunity:

Therapy dogs can help boast the immune system of hospitalized patients.

Overall Health:

Pet owners have shorter hospital stays, fewer doctor visits and less trouble falling asleep at night.