My friends! Welcome to my blog. Today, I would like to share my experience with pet therapy.
Please allow me to start with the fact that I have never owned a dog in my life. We were always cat people—and we still are.

Fiddler is my first dog. He came to us in the post-COVID period, when so many dogs were posted online looking for their forever homes. He was just over three months old, with beautiful, kind—and perhaps a little sad—eyes. I had to rescue him. Looking back, though, I realize that I didn’t just adopt him—he rescued me.

Since his puppyhood, Fiddler has always been drawn to people in wheelchairs, those with disabilities, and children. He loves kids. So, we began our pet therapy training. I am deeply grateful to the Northern Alberta Pet Therapy Society and to all our mentors. We have been certified since April 2024 and now attend to patients and medical staff at several local hospitals and nursing homes.

As a conventional, Canadian board-certified physician, I could not have imagined the impact a dog could bring to the wards—for both patients and staff. Fiddler has no judgment. He moves gently from one patient to another, instinctively knowing who needs him most. It’s incredible to observe his “doctorial” intuition and attentiveness to those in greatest need.

I feel that he provides the most positive kind of medicine. In a sense, I am merely the leash holder and dog handler on the wards—but I’ve come to see that our pet therapy visits are my own form of psychotherapy, bringing me enormous satisfaction, pride, and joy.

Being a physician and grounded in scientific evidence, I had to do a literature search using PubMed.

In 2025, there were 2,958 peer-reviewed studies published on this topic. Please allow me to quote a few conclusions:

Conclusion: Pet therapy is effective in improving depressive symptoms and cognitive function in residents of long-term care facilities with mental illness.

Conclusion: Animal-assisted therapy is a complementary medical intervention, typically involving dogs trained to be obedient, calm, and comforting. Several studies have reported significant pain relief following therapy dog visits. Objective reports of reduced pain are supported by measurements showing decreased catecholamines and increased endorphins in humans after friendly dog visits. Mirror neuron activity and dogs’ olfactory perception may also play important roles in connecting with humans during therapeutic encounters.

Conclusion: Exposure to pet therapy (PT) can reduce both physiological and subjective stress and anxiety levels. A meta-analysis of 28 articles with 34 independent samples and 1,310 participants found significant reductions in heart rate, self-reported anxiety, and stress after PT exposure. However, no significant differences were detected in blood pressure. Sample characteristics and therapy modifications influenced the outcomes. Overall, PT appears to be an effective approach to reducing stress reactivity.

Conclusion: Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) may be an effective treatment for mental and behavioral disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, and substance addictions. It promotes a holistic approach through interaction with animals in nature.

Engaging in pet therapy is not an easy task. It requires not only a strong time commitment but also dedication to continuous training—learning from your dog and improving together as a team.

But it is so worth it. So, if you are inspired by Fiddler and me, please reach out. Hospitals and nursing homes are in desperate need of animal-assisted therapy. www.pettherapysociety.com

Remember: Pet therapy is happy therapy.

From Fiddler and his mom,

Dr. Sveta Silverman, MD