Quick Answer: Pet therapy in care homes provides older people with a safe and supervised environment to interact with appropriate animals. These visits can provide companionship, provide an opportunity for conversation, contribute to emotional health and help to evoke memories of past pets. Animal contact can also stimulate and enjoy some of the residents who live with dementia, for some
A friendly dog walking into a care home lounge can quickly get people talking. One resident may reach out for a stroke, while another remembers a pet they owned many years ago. Someone else may enjoy watching the animal settle nearby.
Pet therapy in care homes gives older people a chance to spend time with suitable animals in a calm, supervised setting. These visits may bring companionship, encourage conversation and create enjoyable moments during the day.
In this blog, you’ll learn what pet therapy involves, its possible benefits for older people, how animals can support memory and social interaction and what care homes should consider before arranging a visit.
What Is Pet Therapy in Care Homes?
Pet therapy involves planned interaction between residents and suitable animals. It may also be described as animal-assisted therapy or animal-assisted activities.
A resident might stroke a dog, brush an animal, talk to its handler or watch from nearby. Dogs are common visitors, although cats, rabbits and other suitable animals may also be involved.
Participation should always be voluntary. Personal preferences, allergies, health needs and previous experiences with animals all need to be considered.
How Can Pet Therapy Support Emotional Wellbeing?
Animals can bring comfort without asking much in return. For someone who previously owned pets, stroking a dog or watching a rabbit may feel familiar and reassuring.
The benefits of pet therapy in care homes can vary between residents but may include:
- Companionship and comfort
- Happiness and enjoyment
- Gentle sensory stimulation
- Opportunities for conversation
- Positive memories
- Reduced feelings of isolation
Some residents may respond strongly to animal visits, while others may have little interest. Both responses should be respected.
Can Pet Therapy Reduce Loneliness?
Animal contact may offer companionship to older people who sometimes feel isolated. A resident doesn’t need to follow a conversation or find the right words to enjoy sitting beside a calm animal.
Pet visits can also create human interaction. One person may comment on the animal, another may share a story and staff can naturally join the conversation.
Pet therapy for older adults should support existing relationships rather than replace contact with relatives, friends, carers and other residents.
Animals, Memories, and Dementia Care
Animals can sometimes bring back memories in an unexpected way. Stroking a dog may remind someone of a childhood pet, family walks or an animal they cared for later in life.
This can make animal visits useful alongside reminiscence activities. Dementia care home pet therapy may also offer gentle sensory contact through touch, sound and movement. It isn’t suitable for everyone, though. Staff need to watch each person’s response and stop the interaction if an animal causes fear, confusion or discomfort.
Marian House provides special activities related to dementia as well. For detailed information, read our blog Meaningful Engagement Ideas: Best Activity Programs for Dementia Care Homes Sutton Coldfield.
How Pet Visits Encourage Social Interaction
A visiting animal gives people something easy to talk about.
A resident may ask the dog’s name. Someone sitting nearby might remember their own dog. Within a few minutes, several people can become part of the same conversation.
This can be useful for residents who don’t often join organised group activities. The animal creates a shared point of interest, allowing conversation to develop naturally between residents, staff and visiting relatives.
These small interactions can add variety and a sense of connection to everyday care home life.
Can Pet Therapy Encourage Gentle Movement?
Animal visits may encourage small movements without making the activity feel like exercise. A resident might reach out to stroke a dog, move their hand while brushing an animal or adjust their position to see it.
Any physical activity needs to match the person’s mobility, strength and health. Residents shouldn’t be encouraged to stand, walk or reach if doing so could cause discomfort or increase their risk of falling.
Pet therapy should sit alongside, rather than replace, appropriate exercise or physiotherapy.
Can Rabbits Be Used for Pet Therapy?
Dogs aren’t the only animals that can visit care homes. Some animal-assisted activity programmes use cats, rabbits and other suitable animals.
Bunny pet therapy in care homes could be an option for the residents wishing to have smaller, quieter pets. Soft fur can be stroked for a calming sensory experience. Rabbits should be handled carefully and their welfare taken into account in all visits.
This is true of any therapy animal that is brought into the home; interaction should be comfortable for the resident and the animal.
Keeping Pet Therapy Safe
Care homes need to plan animal visits carefully. Residents may have allergies, health conditions, fears or personal reasons for avoiding animals.
Before a visit, staff should consider:
- Resident consent and preferences
- Allergies and health concerns
- Hygiene and infection control
- The animal’s temperament
- Appropriate supervision
- Safe handling
- Animal welfare
Nobody should be pressured to participate. Residents who don’t want contact with an animal should be able to choose another activity or stay in an animal-free area.
What Are the Benefits of Pet Therapy in a Care Home?
Different residents may get different things from an animal visit.
| Area | Possible benefit |
| Companionship | Friendly contact and company |
| Emotional wellbeing | Enjoyment and comfort |
| Memory | Familiar stories may surface |
| Social interaction | Creates reasons to talk |
| Sensory engagement | Touch, sound and movement |
| Gentle activity | Stroking or brushing an animal |
Pet therapy isn’t something every resident needs. Its value depends on the person.
For someone who has loved animals throughout their life, a short visit from a friendly animal may create a familiar, happy moment that stays with them long after the visit ends.
Meaningful Activities at Marian House
Activities at Marian House are based around residents’ interests, abilities and care needs. Residents can take part in gardening, music, gentle exercise, arts and crafts, games, movie afternoons and social activities.
For people living with dementia, activities may also include reminiscence, baking and sensory experiences. Sometimes, the smallest moments like a gentle touch, a familiar memory or the quiet company of an animal can bring warmth, comfort, and a little more joy to an older person’s day.
FAQs
A: During a supervised visit, residents will be able to stroke, watch or interact with an appropriate animal. They can also converse with the handler or reminisce about former animals. Enlistment ought to be based on the resident’s choice and health requirements. A: Rabbits are acceptable to visit a care home.
A: Animal interaction may offer companionship and create opportunities to talk with other people. Some older adults find spending quiet time with an animal comforting. It should complement regular contact with family, friends, carers and other residents.
A: Some people living with dementia respond positively to familiar animals, touch and movement. Contact may prompt enjoyment, conversation or memories of previous pets. Staff should monitor the person’s reaction because animals may cause anxiety or confusion for some residents.
A: No. Residents should be free to participate, observe or decline. Allergies, health needs, fears and personal preferences should always be respected.
A: Rabbits can participate in some animal-assisted activities under supervision. They are soft and can provide gentle sensory touch for residents who like smaller animals. Handling, hygiene and animal welfare have to be taken into account.
A: Animal visits can be suitable when they are carefully planned and supervised. Staff should consider allergies, health conditions, hygiene, fear of animals and the animal’s behaviour. Residents who prefer not to take part should have that choice respected.
