Therapy Dog Volunteering in Hospitals

In hospitals across the United States, therapy dog programs are becoming an increasingly valued part of patient care. These programs bring trained dog-and-handler teams into clinical settings to offer emotional support, stress relief, and companionship to patients, families, and even healthcare staff. This form of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is more than just a feel-good experience—it's backed by research and decades of practice.

What Therapy Dogs Do in Hospitals

Therapy dogs help reduce anxiety, elevate mood, and provide comfort to people undergoing difficult medical experiences. Whether it’s visiting children in pediatric wards, providing emotional support to adults recovering from surgery, or offering calm to psychiatric patients, therapy dogs have a unique way of connecting with humans that often surpasses what words alone can achieve.

Programs like the one at Johns Hopkins Hospital utilize over 15 volunteer therapy dog teams that visit regularly. These visits improve patient morale and even staff well-being. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, research shows that therapy dogs can help reduce pain perception, elevate mood, and encourage positive social behaviors in children and adults alike​.

How to Get Involved

Volunteering as a therapy dog handler typically involves a structured certification process. Organizations like The Good Dog Foundation and Therapy Dogs International (TDI) provide training and certification for teams that want to volunteer in settings like hospitals, schools, and nursing homes.

• The Good Dog Foundation offers volunteer certification for individuals and their dogs, with placements in hospitals, crisis settings, and educational institutions. They also collaborate with hospitals and universities to support research into the effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy​.
• TDI, one of the oldest organizations in the field (founded in 1976), coordinates hospital visits nationwide. They work with hospital volunteer departments and train therapy dog teams for visits to general and psychiatric hospitals, as well as veterans’ facilities. The visits can range from uplifting and light-hearted to deeply emotional, providing solace for patients facing surgeries or long hospital stays​.

Requirements and Commitment

Volunteers usually need to meet health and safety criteria. For instance, Johns Hopkins requires therapy dog teams to complete health screenings, background checks, and training modules. Handlers also need to provide proof of vaccinations (including COVID-19) and commit to regular visits over a period of time​

The Impact

The benefits of therapy dogs are far-reaching. Patients often show reduced stress, better pain management, and greater overall satisfaction with their hospital experience. Moreover, staff members report feeling less burnout when therapy dogs are around. The intangible sense of comfort these dogs bring cannot always be measured, but their impact is felt across every corridor they roam.