by Carrie E. Muffett, MD

Welcome to the tutorial on pet-facilitated therapy at the Creighton University complementary and alternative medicine website!

Pet-facilitated therapy, also known as animal-assisted therapy (AAT), is the practice of utilizing trained animals and handlers to help patients achieve specific physical, social, cognitive, and emotional goals.  Dogs are most commonly employed, but cats, birds, rabbits, horses, dolphins, fish/aquariums, and others are used as well.  There are various types of therapy.  For example, hippotherapy is therapeutic riding of an animal.  Other forms of pet-facilitated therapy include petting, watching, and "visiting" with an animal, or caring for an animal on a regular basis.

Many people believe that pet-facilitated therapy and pet ownership in general have beneficial effects, namely improved cardiovascular health, pain reduction, and improved mental health. 

Please use the buttons on the left to explore the interesting history and philosophy of pet-facilitated therapy.  Take a look at the objective and subjective findings for its perceived benefits and potential adverse effects.

Thanks for visiting!

The contents of this website are for informational purposes only and do not necessarily reflect the views of Creighton University or Creighton University School of Medicine.