Saint Mary’s Health Care provides this highly interactive form of integrated therapy free of charge to patients staying at Saint Mary’s Health Care. Pet therapy consists of hands-on visits by our trained dog-handlers and their pets, or a pre-arranged visit from the patient’s own family pet.

Research has shown that, in addition to the positive impact on the patient’s emotional well being, interacting with animals also has numerous therapeutic benefits such as decreasing blood pressure and stress levels, and improving pain management.

Inpatients interested in scheduling pet therapy sessions should make a personal request through their nurse or attending physician.