Not every need is medical.
Sometimes healing begins with presence.
A therapy dog does not belong to one person. It belongs to everyone in the room.
Trained therapy dogs visit hospitals, care homes, schools, and mental health clinics - bringing comfort and connection to the people who need it most.
Bringing comfort and calm to patients in long stays and recovery.
Patients in hospitals - especially those in long stays, recovery wards, or palliative care - face isolation, anxiety, and fear. A therapy dog visit breaks the clinical routine, reduces stress, and brings warmth to a setting that can feel impersonal and overwhelming.
Supporting elderly residents experiencing loneliness and isolation.
For elderly residents - many of whom live with cognitive decline, depression, or social isolation - a therapy dog offers something rare: consistent, non-judgmental presence. Research consistently shows that animal-assisted interventions reduce agitation and improve mood in older adults.
Helping children with learning difficulties and emotional regulation.
Children respond to dogs in ways they often cannot respond to adults. A therapy dog in a school or day care setting lowers stress, encourages social interaction, and gives children a non-threatening presence to connect with - particularly for those with learning difficulties or emotional challenges.
Working alongside therapists to support people in recovery.
Therapy dogs in mental health settings work alongside clinical staff rather than replacing them. For people living with anxiety, depression, or PTSD, the presence of a calm, trained dog can lower the threshold for engagement and support the therapeutic process in ways that words alone cannot.
Interested in a therapy dog programme for your institution?
We are in our first pilot and our Cohort 1 dogs are approaching placement. We would like to hear from hospitals, care centres, schools, and mental health clinics so we can plan future placements.
Bring a HeartDog to your institution →To convey sensitive topics with care and respect, some images on this page are either AI-generated or AI-edited.