Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is a health intervention meant to improve physical, social, emotional, or cognitive functioning. Animals are an integral part of the treatment. The therapeutic use of animals with GCS is employed in an intervention setting to improve care.

Navigation Button with Mouse-Following Tiffany Blue Glow and Yellow Hover Shadow

The therapeutic use of animals.

  • Two women kneeling on a store floor petting a small white dog with a pink leash, surrounded by shelves of products.

    Effectiveness

    Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) helps with many health conditions, including schizophrenia, addiction, PTSD, developmental disorders, dementia, cancer, and chronic pain.

    schizophrenia, addiction, dementia, cancer, and PTSD.

    AAT can improve:

    Social skills

    Mood

    Physical well-being

    Being with an animal often releases calming hormones like serotonin, prolactin, and oxytocin, which can lower stress and sadness.

    AAT is used in:

    Cognitive Rehabilitation: Helps with thinking problems from injuries.

    Behavioral Health: Supports mental health, alone or with other treatments.

    Occupational Therapy: Boosts motivation for goals like improving focus, social skills, self-esteem, and reducing anxiety or loneliness.

  • White puppy wearing a red harness labeled "Therapy Dog in Training" sitting indoors.

    Canine-assisted therapy

    Canine-assisted therapy uses trained therapy dogs to improve well-being. These dogs are calm, accepting, and comforting.

    Therapy dogs help by:

    Offering comfort through contact.

    Encouraging interaction, improving movement, and building trust.

    Reducing stress and anxiety.

    This therapy complements other treatments for conditions like ADHD and autism. It also helps teach daily living skills and encourages group participation.

  • Person sitting in an armchair holding a white dog on their lap; background includes a poster with text.

    Strategic Situations

    Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) helps with many conditions, including:

    Boosting self-worth, communication, and social skills.

    Encouraging activity and self-care.

    Helping individuals communicate, even non-verbally.

    Motivating improvement and reducing hostility.

    Calming individuals with health conditions.

    Assisting with physical therapy (e.g., for stroke victims).

    Improving learning, memory, and cognition after brain injuries.

  • A person stands in a kitchen preparing something on the counter. The kitchen has wooden cabinets, a tiled floor, and various kitchen appliances and items on the counter. A small dog is lying on the floor nearby.

    Animal-assisted therapy

    Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is a treatment that uses animals. It's part of animal-assisted interventions, which also include emotional support and service animals.

    AAT aims to improve a persons:

    Social skills

    Emotional state

    Thinking abilities

    Research shows animals motivate and educate participants. Studies confirm positive effects on mood, blood pressure, and hormone levels.

Border collie participating in an agility course on grass.

State Authorized Attestation Certificates of Completion

Certificate of Completion from Ridge Dogs awarded to Allan Simmons for mentoring in basic obedience and socialization skills. Features Ridge Dogs logo, signatures, and a small image of dog training.
Certificate of Completion for Allan Simmons from the Ridge Dogs Program, dated September 12, 2018, featuring a photo of a resting dog.
Certificate of completion for Allan Simmons in the Ridge Dogs program, featuring a picture of a dog and Coyote Ridge Dogs WA logos, dated 9/12/18.