The current study is the first to investigate if dog-assisted and relaxation interventions can improve spatial abilities in school children. It makes a novel contribution to empirical research by measuring longitudinally if an Animal-Assisted Intervention (AAI) or relaxation intervention can boost children's development of spatial abilities. Randomized controlled trials were employed over time including dog intervention, relaxation intervention and no treatment control groups. Interventions were carried out over 4 weeks, twice a week for 20 min.

Negative mental health outcomes have affected healthcare workers, patients, and community members following pandemics: most recently, the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) outbreak. Although therapy dog visitation programs are associated with reduced stress, most hospital-based programs were placed on hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examined human–animal interactions during the reactivation of a hospital-based therapy dog program during the pandemic. Characteristics of the interactions and the participants involved were recorded and analyzed.

Animal-assisted interventions (AAI) have shown beneficial effects on health and wellbeing, however, robust knowledge on stress mediation in children is lacking... This study is the first randomized controlled trial to investigate dog-assisted interventions as a mediator of stress in school children with and without special educational needs (SEN) over the school term.

“For many, pets serve as social capital in neighborhoods and communities,” says Dr. Gee. “They precipitate the exchange of favors and encourage civic engagement.” 

More than 20 years ago, Sandra Barker started one of the first therapy-dog programs in hospitals. At the time, she worked at Virginia Commonwealth University, or VCU, in Richmond, Va.