Animal-assisted Therapy Research Articles

Improving the Movement of SEN Children with the Help of a Therapy Dog

The therapeutic relationship with animals is crucial for psychological, somatic and social health, as it enriches the well-being of the functional whole (Bánszky et al., 2012). Regular contact with animals strengthens people's experience of responsibility, attachment, unconditional acceptance and love, and also creates a sense of security, as the very existence of an animal reduces anxiety symptoms, loneliness and social isolation. In addition spending time with animals helps to optimise different movements. This paper presents of an ongoing research project. The main aim of our research is to highlight the importance of canine-assisted therapy in refining the movement of children with special educational needs by having them participate in canine-assisted therapy sessions on a weekly basis, during which, in addition to anamnesis and observations, we measure the children's development using a scale (Portage scale) that is accepted in special education. It is hypothesised that the animal-assisted therapy will have a significant positive impact on the large and fine motor skills of children with special educational needs. Our chosen research methods are case study and observation. Data processing requires both qualitative and quantitative analysis.

Evaluation of cortisol levels and behavior in dogs during animal-assisted interventions in clinical practice

Animal-assisted intervention (AAI) is designed to improve the physical or psychological condition of clients through targeted work that involves animals. For the long-term high-quality implementation of AAI, the maximum welfare of the participating animals must be ensured. The most frequently involved type of animal is the dog and therefore the aim of this study was the assessment of the cortisol level and the behavior of dogs during AAI. Fifteen dogs with long-term working experience in clinical practice with AAI were involved in the study. Cortisol was evaluated from a saliva sample during 4 experimental and 4 control days. On each day, the samples were taken three times in total - before the therapy, after its end, and with a half-hour interval. At the same times, samples were taken on control days as well. The ethogram questionnaire was used. After each session, the handler completed a questionnaire consisting of 25 behaviors. For each type of behavior, the handler indicated whether it occurred during the session and, if so, added the frequency of the behavior. Statistical analysis of the baseline data of the measured cortisol concentrations showed no statistically significant difference between the sampling times, on both experimental and control days. There was also no significant difference when comparing the data from the experimental and control days. The ethogram questionnaires recorded a difference between the different categories of behavior. Results indicate that when AAI is properly guided and respects the individual needs of the dog, AAI can be a meaningful and fulfilling activity that creates fun and active contact for the dog with its handler and the client.

Animal-assisted education: Perception of teachers and parents on the impact of the DOG project

Introduction: Research regarding Animal-Assisted Education (AAE) is a relatively new field. Due to the growing number of programs in the field, investigating AAE interventions is important. The aim of this study was to gain insight into teachers’ and parents’/caregivers’ perceptions of the impacts of a specific form of Animal-Assisted Service (AAS, formerly Animal-Assisted Intervention (AAI) namely, an Animal-Assisted Education (AAE) program for primary school students, as offered in the Netherlands. Materials and methods: This study was designed as an exploratory qualitative study, executed by means of interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire. Twelve teachers and ten parents/caregivers were interviewed. The analysis started with open coding and was followed by axial and selective coding. Results: There is significant agreement regarding the positive influence of AAE on the perception of teachers and parents. Both notice an impact beyond the context of the AAE sessions in the areas of communication, social-emotional development, self-confidence, and environmental factors. Teachers also note that the AAE project has provided them with insights that influence their professional development. Conclusion: It can be cautiously stated that 10 sessions, according to the DOG project, had a positive impact on the social-emotional development of elementary school students according to their parents and teachers. Further research on what AAE means for students is recommended. Considering the unforeseen and impactful outcome of this playful interaction initiative on teachers, it is advised to conduct subsequent research to further explore the underlying mechanisms, aiming to enhance the professional development of teachers.

Incorporating Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) to Improve Handwriting Skills in Pediatric Occupational Therapy

Within the field of occupational therapy, animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is becoming more widely recognized and utilized as a supplement to traditional therapeutic interventions. As this area is still an emerging area of practice within occupational therapy, research is necessary to better understand the effect of AAT on children’s progress toward various goals. The purpose of this research study was to analyze the effectiveness of using Animal-Assisted Therapy to improve children's performance with and engagement in handwriting activities in outpatient pediatric occupational therapy. This study utilized a Quasi-experimental design, assigning participants to two groups. One group participated in handwriting activities while using AAT, and the other participated in handwriting activities via traditional occupational therapy. Each participant completed the Evaluation Tool of Children’s Handwriting (ETCH) for a pre-and post-test assessment. For five weeks, each child participated in approximately 15 minutes of handwriting during their occupational therapy sessions. A paired samples t-test found that pre-and post-test assessments indicated significant differences on three subtests on the ETCH for both groups respectively. Additionally, an independent samples t-test determined that both satisfaction scores and time engaged in handwriting activities were significantly different between the AAT group and the therapist-led group. The findings of this research demonstrate that progress toward handwriting-related goals can be made with consistent intervention during occupational therapy sessions regardless of the intervention techniques being used. However, using AAT can greatly increase children’s satisfaction and enjoyment with handwriting and increase the time they are willing to engage in these types of activities.

‘The Horse Weaves Magic’: Parents and Service Providers on the Benefits of Horse-Based Therapies for Autistic Children—an Australian Qualitative Study

Autistic children and adolescents experience a range of co-morbidities, including diagnoses of mental illness. Animal-assisted therapies have advanced rapidly over recent years as an effective and accessible intervention for autistic children and adolescents with various health issues. Horses offer a unique opportunity for interaction as the young person can physically ride the animal, thus creating a therapy with different physical interactions from other animals. This qualitative study had two main aims: first, to understand parents’ experiences of their autistic child’s involvement with horse-based therapies; and second, to understand the experiences of the staff of organisations offering horse-based therapies to those on the autism spectrum. Twelve interviews were conducted with six parents across four interviews (four mothers and two fathers), and eight staff of equine therapy services in eight individual interviews, to understand their perceptions of the child’s experience with horse riding and the perceived mental health impacts. Three emergent themes were prominent among parents and service providers alike: physical and social benefits, including health, self-management skills and social skills; protecting mental health; and recommendations for improvements and accessibility of horse-based therapies. Specifically, service providers with long-standing associations with horse-based therapies saw the actual and potential benefits of horse-based therapies for autistic children, particularly in promoting happiness, calm, resilience, and good mental health.

Bird-assisted treatment in vulnerable people: A literature review

Abstract Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) practices have diversified following one of the earliest uses of animals in therapy, as described by Levinson ( 1962 ). Since the 1960s, evidence of the effectiveness of AAT can be found in the scientific literature across various populations. Different species of animals have been used for AAT, while literature reviews specific to dogs or horses can be found, there is currently no literature review that specifically focuses on bird-assisted treatments. This study aims to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the existing literature on bird-assisted treatments in diverse populations. We conducted a comprehensive search for the keywords “animal assisted therapy,” “animal assisted intervention,” “zootherapy,” “thérapie assistée par l’animal,” “intervention assistée par l’animal,” “zoothérapie,” “bird,” and “oiseau” in the PubMed, ScienceDirect, and PsycInfo databases, covering the period from 1975 to October 2023. A total of six articles were eligible for inclusion in our literature review, four on older individuals and two conducted within various psychiatric departments. These studies identified two distinct forms of interventions: individual and shared room cages. Irrespective of the intervention type, the primary findings demonstrated not only positive effects on depression levels and social well-being among older individuals but also favorable outcomes for psychopathological symptoms and social life among individuals with psychiatric disorders. The use of birds can be a strategy to implement AAT in institutional settings where managing larger animals or those requiring more complex care would be challenging. These results lead us to recommend bird-mediated interventions to promote well-being and reduce psychological distress among populations requiring this type of assistance.

Effectiveness of animal-assisted activities and therapies for autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Given the rising interest in complementary therapeutic strategies for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), this research aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the impact of animal-assisted activities and therapies (AAAT) on various ASD symptoms. A meticulous search of databases, including Scopus and PubMed, was conducted to gather relevant research on AAAT for ASD. This process led to the selection of 45 studies encompassing 1,212 participants. The chosen studies were then subjected to a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of AAAT in alleviating core ASD symptoms. The meta-analysis revealed significant improvements in several core ASD symptoms due to AAAT. Notably, there were improvements in social communication (MD = -4.96, 95% CI [-7.49, -2.44]), irritability (MD = -2.38, 95% CI [-4.06, -0.71]), hyperactivity (MD = -4.03, 95% CI [-6.17, -1.89]), and different word usage skills (MD = 20.48, 95% CI [7.41, 33.55]). However, social awareness (MD = -1.63, 95% CI [-4.07, 0.81]), social cognition (MD = -3.60, 95% CI [-9.36, 2.17]), social mannerisms (MD = -0.73, 95% CI [-2.55, 1.09]), social motivation (MD = -1.21, 95% CI [-2.56, 0.13]), lethargy (MD = -1.12, 95% CI [-3.92, 1.68]), and stereotypical behaviors (MD = -0.23, 95% CI [-1.27, 0.80]) did not significantly improve. The study demonstrates the potential of AAAT in improving certain core symptoms of ASD, such as social communication, irritability, hyperactivity, and word usage skills. However, the effectiveness of AAAT in other ASD symptom domains remains uncertain. The research is limited by the absence of long-term follow-up data and a high risk of bias in existing studies. Therefore, while the findings indicate the promise of AAAT in specific areas, caution is advised in generalizing its efficacy across all ASD symptoms.

Dog-assisted physiotherapy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a randomized controlled pilot study.

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is an intervention in which the animal acts as a co-therapist. It has been mainly used in the context of patients with dementia, showing positive effects on psychological symptoms, but its potential as a physiotherapy treatment for patients with neuromuscular disorders, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in particular, has not yet been investigated. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of AAT, specifically of dog-assisted therapy, on motor functions and psychological status in patients with ALS. This study was a randomized controlled pilot study. The study was carried out at the Rehabilitation Unit NEuroMuscular Omnicenter (NEMO) of Arenzano, Genoa. Sixty hospitalized ALS patients were enrolled. All patients ran a regular two-weeks neurorehabilitation program twice a day. For three days a week, in place of the morning traditional treatment, the AAT group performed a rehabilitation session with a simultaneous interaction with the therapy-dog, while the control group performed a traditional rehabilitation session. The outcome measures were the Timed Up and Go Test, the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), the Six Minutes Walk Test, the Ten Meters walking Test and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Both groups showed an amelioration in motor scales. However, SPPB subscales as well as HADS scores showed a statistically significant improvement only in the AAT group (P values from <0.0001 to 0.0004). Additionally, across almost all motor and psychological measures, post-treatments values were significantly better for the AAT group (P values from <0.0001 to 0.01). The obtained results not only suggest that AAT is comparable to traditional physiotherapy treatments, but also evidence that this type of treatment has greater beneficial effects on motor and psychological symptoms in patients with ALS. This study provides first evidence that AAT is a powerful rehabilitation strategy in patients with ALS, improving both motor and psychological symptoms, and therefore possibly ameliorating quality of life.

Electromyographic Analysis of Upper- and Lower-extremity Muscles in Adults during Agro-healing Activities

This study investigated the activity of upper- and lower-extremity muscles for 15 agricultural tasks of agro-healing. For the development of an agro-healing program using farm resource types, 15 selected agro-healing activities (namely, digging, raking, fertilizing, planting transplants, tying plants to stakes, watering, harvesting, washing, cutting, cooking, collecting natural objects, decorating natural objects, interacting with dogs, walking dogs, and feeding fish) were extracted and performed in a total of 21 adults (average age: 42.29 ± 14.76 years) at D Care Farm in Cheongju, Korea, from June to July 2022. Before these activities, informed consent was obtained from participants and muscle activity of the upper and lower extremities was measured. Muscle activation during activity performance was measured using electromyography (EMG), and the rating of perceived exertion for each activity was investigated. Bipolar surface EMG electrodes were attached at 16 locations on the left and right upper-extremity muscles (anterior deltoid, biceps brachialis, brachioradialis, and flexor carpi ulnaris) and lower-extremity muscles (vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, biceps femoris, and gastrocnemius). The results indicated that the activity of the lower-extremity muscles was higher than that of the upper-extremity muscles during 15 agricultural activities. During plant-mediated activity and animal-assisted activities, the rate of right muscle use was higher than that of left muscle use among the upper-extremity muscles, whereas the rate of right and left muscle use showed a similar tendency among the lower-extremity muscles. During plant-mediated activities, agricultural activities involving the use of heavy tools highly activated the right forearm muscle (flexor carpi ulnaris), whereas holding and interacting with animals highly activated the left forearm muscles (biceps brachialis, brachioradialis, and flexor carpi ulnaris). It is expected that the EMG data obtained in this study can be used as basic biomechanical data when designing an agro-healing program to improve physical function.

Assessing the landscape of integrative oncology at US comprehensive cancer centers (CCC).

e13565 Background: Interest in integrative oncology (IO) has grown among patients and its availability has expanded within CCCs. This study assesses the availability of IO programs in U.S. CCCs. Methods: In 2023, a cross-sectional survey was sent to CCCs including NCI-designated CCCs by email regarding IO programs. Participants were asked to describe the importance of IO within their cancer center, the programs and services offered, and how the programs are provided. Results: Of ninety-four survey invitations sent, fifty-eight completed surveys were returned (response rate 62%). Three-fourths of completed surveys (74%) came from NCI-designated CCCs. Over half of respondents (57%) rated IO services to be important (or very important) at their center with 53% stating that their center has a formal IO clinical program. Univariate analysis showed that non-NCI centers were more likely to perceive IO services as being important compared to NCI-designated centers (100% vs. 77%, p=0.04). Respondents stated that their IO program has been in existence for ≥10 years (40%), 5-9 years (26%), and 0-4 years (34%). Among the surveyed cancer centers, availability of IO program was 33% (adult and pediatric) vs. 49% (adult only). The IO programs are available to patients with active cancer (91%), patients in survivorship off-treatment (81%), and healthy patients without a history of cancer (22%). The IO services were offered in an outpatient clinic on the main campus (76%), community sites (29%), or inpatient settings (40%). The most common oncology specific services reported were nutrition (51%), exercise counseling (42%), mind-body medicine (38%), and acupuncture (33%). The clinicians who provided integrative medicine consultations were primarily in internal medicine (31%), family medicine (26%), and medical oncology (19%). In inpatient and outpatient settings, insurance was billed for physical therapy (50% vs. 67%) and diet/nutrition (36% vs. 50%) services, whereas acupuncture (47%) and massage (43%) services were charged by cash/card in an outpatient setting only. Music therapy (33% vs. 47%) and pet therapy (34% vs. 43%) services were offered for free most commonly in both inpatient and outpatient settings, respectively. The highest average out of pocket fee service was acupuncture ($42±27) followed by integrative medicine consultations ($34±29). Conclusions: Despite increasing patient interest and established benefits of integrative therapies as noted by recently published ASCO clinical guidelines, only half of CCCs reported having a formal IO program. More research is needed to understand the gap between patient interest, the growing evidence-base, and how to expand integrative oncology services within existing cancer centers.

Combating geriatric depression: Pet therapy's revolutionary role and contributions to public health

This study aims to investigate the impact of pet therapy on the treatment of depression in elderly individuals and its implications for public health. The research explores the objective, observations, results, and conclusion, of the study. Research has shown that regular interaction with animals can decrease stress hormone levels among older individuals. Additionally, it promotes the release of hormones such as oxytocin, which are associated with increased positive emotions. The physical activities involved in pet therapy sessions also contribute to the overall physical health of elderly individuals by improving balance, and coordination, and reducing the risk of falls. Furthermore, interaction with animals encourages the use of social skills and helps in reducing social isolation among the elderly. The findings indicate that pet therapy significantly reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety in elderly individuals. The widespread adoption of pet therapy can potentially alleviate the burden on healthcare systems and decrease the reliance on medications, ultimately reducing treatment costs. However, it is essential to prioritize animal hygiene and welfare to ensure the effectiveness and safety of pet therapy practices. Overall, pet therapy presents a promising and innovative approach to addressing depression among the elderly. Existing research highlights its efficacy in reducing depressive symptoms and enhancing the quality of life for older adults. Further research is needed to explore the broader applications of pet therapy and to integrate this approach into elderly care programs. This will help establish pet therapy as a valuable component of holistic geriatric care, ultimately contributing to improved mental health and well-being for the elderly population. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the potential benefits of pet therapy in treating depression among the elderly. By further exploring and integrating pet therapy into elderly care programs, we can enhance the overall mental health and well-being of this population. This research underscores the importance of considering alternative and innovative approaches to address mental health issues in the elderly, ultimately contributing to a healthier and happier aging population.

DOLPHIN ASSISTED THERAPY: WELFARE OF BOTH PATIENTS WITH DEPRESSION AND PARTICIPATING DOLPHINS

The main aim of this research was to measure the effect of dolphin assisted therapy on both patients and participating dolphins. The research measured welfare of patients with depression and situational welfare of dolphins which participated in the dolphin assisted therapy programme. Patients with organic depression took part in two-week dolphin assisted therapy sessions. When measuring situational welfare of dolphins, the study sample consisted of nine individual dolphins (Tursiops truncatus ponticus, Lat.): three males and six females ranging from five to twenty years. The main research results revealed that psychosocial characteristics of patients with organic depression disorder as well as patients’ self-evaluation changed statistically significantly, the symptoms of depression decreased. The research revealed that patients were much more physically active during the period of participation in the dolphin assisted therapy process than before. The analysis of dolphin behaviour brought to the light that most of the therapy time dolphins behaved positively. There were noticed no therapy sessions where the dolphin behaviour would be evaluated as more negative than positive or just negative.

Canine Pet Therapy to Decrease Nurse Anxiety

Canine Pet Therapy to Decrease Nurse Anxiety

Impact of animal-assisted therapy on subjective anxiety ratings and objective blood pressure measurements in children at an outpatient psychiatric setting

Impact of animal-assisted therapy on subjective anxiety ratings and objective blood pressure measurements in children at an outpatient psychiatric setting

The influence of pretreatment respiratory sinus arrhythmia dimensions on trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy outcomes: Findings from a randomized controlled feasibility trial.

Child maltreatment is associated with respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) dysregulation, a physiological indicator of emotion regulation that predicts elevated posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and may be a mechanism of action for exposure-based therapies, such as trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT). Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has been proposed as an adjunct to TF-CBT for improving emotion regulation following maltreatment. The current study reports findings from a randomized controlled feasibility trial (N = 33; Mage = 11.79 years, SD = 3.08; 63.6% White; 66.7% female) that measured youths' resting RSA, RSA reactivity, and RSA recovery in response to a pretreatment laboratory challenge. We tested whether (a) lower pretreatment resting RSA was associated with blunted RSA during the challenge; (b) either of the pretreatment RSA dimensions predicted more severe pretreatment PTSD symptoms; and (c) either of the pretreatment RSA dimensions predicted less severe posttreatment PTSD symptoms and, as an exploratory aim, whether this was moderated by treatment group (i.e., TF-CBT vs. TF-CBT + AAT). Results from multiple linear regression indicated that, after controlling for pretreatment symptom severity, there was a large effect size for higher resting RSA predicting less severe caregiver-reported posttreatment PTSD symptoms, β = -.52, p =.058, and higher RSA during recovery predicting less severe child-reported posttreatment PTSD symptoms, β = -.70, p =.056, although these findings were not significant. These preliminary results offer important insights for future studies to investigate how the ability to regulate RSA informs which children need additional support to benefit from psychotherapeutic treatment.

Robotic Pet Therapy in the Intensive Care Unit.

Robotic pet therapy could aid in the nonpharmacologic treatment of pain, agitation, delirium, immobility, and sleep disruption (PADIS) in the intensive care unit (ICU), similar to traditional pet therapy. The North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System implemented a robotic pet therapy program for patients requiring ICU care. Details of this program are described in this article, including evaluating its impact on PADIS management. Robotic pet therapy can be successfully implemented in the ICU and could be a simple, safe, and beneficial nonpharmacologic intervention for PADIS.

An experimental study of an animal-assisted intervention in healthcare simulation to reduce negative affective arousal post-simulation

Introduction In healthcare simulation, the appropriate level of stress produced through physiological and psychological arousal is necessary for effective experiential learning. While beneficial stress promotes learning, excessive stress inhibits learning. Animal Assisted Interventions may be a viable method to support learners experiencing excessive stress post-simulation. Animal Assisted Interventions have been used therapeutically with positive effects though there is an absence of research on Animal Assisted Interventions in healthcare simulation. This study investigates the efficacy of an Animal Assisted Intervention compared to an intervention control to reduce negative affective arousal post-simulation. Methods Primary Care Paramedic, Animal Health, and Respiratory Therapy students were recruited for the study. The study utilized an experimental design. After a simulation, known to induce stress and potentially negative affective arousal, participants were randomly assigned to an Animal Assisted Activity with a Canine or to Diaphragmatic Breathing. Negative affective arousal was measured post-simulation and post-intervention using a Visual Analogue Scale. Results Forty-five students participated in the study. Pre-intervention scores showed moderate levels of anxiety, stress and confusion. Both interventions led to a significant decrease in emotional affect. Participants in the Canine condition reported significantly lower levels of Anxiety compared to the Breathing Condition. Participants and facilitators expressed positive emotions related to the canine’s presence. Conclusions The presence of a canine was well received by all, and Animal Assisted Interventions can fit seamlessly into the post-simulation period to reduce anxiety after a simulation. Animal Assisted Activities may be best utilized for simulations known to be emotionally distressing and intensive.

Use of Animal-Assisted Interventions and Children's Field: A Bibliometric Analysis

Aim This study aimed to present a world panorama of published articles on animal-assisted interventions in children and to highlight the characteristics of studies on animal-assisted interventions in children. Method In this study, a bibliometric analysis of the studies was conducted to analyze the trends of publications in the fields of "Animal Assisted Interventions" and "Child". The articles analyzed in this study were obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoS) database with search keywords. Inclusion criteria included English-language articles in journals published in the Science Citation Index Expanded or Social Science Citation Index. Results It has been determined that the trends of research on "Animal Assisted Interventions" and "Child" increased between 2020-2023. It has been determined that 80% of the research on "Animal Assisted Interventions" consists of research articles. It was determined that the most cited article (n=213) in studies related to "Animal Assisted Interventions" and "Child" was "Animal Assisted Intervention for Autism Spectrum disorder A Systematic Literature Review" and was published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Conclusions The results of this bibliometric analysis showed that there has been a growing interest in the topic of animal-assisted interventions in the children's field over the last 10 years. This study thought that the results of this study would contribute to the evaluation of the status of studies on animal-assisted intervention and guide future research in this field.

Canicross Pilot Programme: Basic Considerations for Its Implementation as an Extracurricular Sports Activity

Canicross is a sport that consists of running while being pulled by a dog in a natural environment. Due to the benefits to health and well-being that it brings to the people and dogs that practise it, this sport could be implemented as an animal-assisted intervention (AAI) in the educational field. Against this background, the present work describes a pilot experience carried out in an educational centre in the Basque Country for the implementation of canicross as an extracurricular sports activity. The main objective is to describe the educational potential of canicross as an extracurricular activity that fosters students’ values of respect for animals and physical activity (PA) in natural environments. The results of this innovative experience provide the first evidence of the valuable role of animal activities in this educational context, where current academic research is practically non-existent. In conclusion, we highlight the novelty of the proposal and the motivating effect that the dogs in this case had among the students in encouraging them to practise PA and adhere to values of respect and animal welfare.

Therapy Dogs in the Dialysis Clinic: A Qualitative Study Examining Hemodialysis Patients’ Attitudes Toward an Animal-Assisted Intervention

ABSTRACT Hemodialysis (HD) is a burdensome clinical process that demands frequent and long visits to the clinic every week indefinitely, yet strict adherence to its regimen is paramount to overall health and wellbeing. Effective approaches are needed to not only reduce patients’ rates of missed treatments but also ease the overall burden and stress associated with long-term HD use. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore HD patients’ attitudes toward a clinic-based animal-assisted intervention (AAI) to build an understanding of its perceived fit within this novel setting, as well as how this intervention could improve their treatment adherence. Patients from four outpatient clinics engaged in one-on-one, in-depth semi-structured interviews that were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Within a framework of iterative thematic analysis, the Matrix Method was utilized in combination with line-by-line coding to thematically analyze data. A total of 20 patients (age M = 57, SD = 7.93) participated. Results are reflected in four main themes: (1) The dread and suffering of endless treatment; (2) Yearning for the presence of therapy dogs at the clinic; (3) Therapy dogs can aid in the internal battle of treatment adherence; (4) The logistics of incorporating therapy dogs into HD care routine. Participants’ narratives collectively illustrate the perceived value of AAI in the HD clinic setting. This study improves not only our understanding of how HD patients perceive clinic-based therapy-dog visits but also offers helpful insights for implementing this intervention in future research. Incorporating therapy dogs into HD patients’ healthcare routine may offer an innovative approach to improving patient outcomes, and the results of this study are a compelling prompt to empirically investigate the role of AAI in HD treatment adherence.