A team of researchers, led by Dr. Colleen Dell from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, recently published their research demonstrating how therapy dogs can reduce pain and anxiety in patients.

‘Clinically significant changes in pain as well as significant changes in anxiety, depression and well-being were observed in the therapy dog intervention compared to control. The findings of this novel study contribute important knowledge towards the potential value of emergency department (ED) therapy dogs to affect patients’ experience of pain, and related measures of anxiety, depression and well-being’.