Compilation of animal-assisted therapy studies: A narrative review of clinical evidence

Animal-assisted interventions are classified into animal-assisted therapy, animal-assisted activities, and animal-assisted programs. These interventions aim to improve emotional, cognitive, social, and physical functioning. Animal-assisted therapy is defined as an intervention in which animals play an active role in improving health and well-being. It involves interactions between individuals and animals, facilitated by a trained therapist or healthcare professional, to achieve specific therapeutic goals. This therapy encompasses emotional, psychological, and physical dimensions and involves not only the individuals participating in the therapy but also the animals and the environment in which interactions take place. Animal-assisted therapy is based on the fundamental principle of facilitating human-animal interactions to promote therapeutic outcomes. This therapy is formed by a team of trained animals, therapeutic interactions, and positive results associated with rehab goals. The use of dogs, as the most common animal in these interventions, is associated with significant benefits, including stress reduction, mood improvement, and the strengthening of social skills, highlighting their transformative impact on participants' quality of life. Additionally, this review underscores that animal-assisted therapy is not only effective in clinical contexts but also has the potential to humanize healthcare and foster deep emotional connections. This makes it a valuable and underutilized strategy that could revolutionize conventional therapeutic approaches. Despite these contributions, the article emphasizes the need to standardize practices and develop more rigorous studies to maximize its effectiveness, ensuring its sustainable and evidence-based implementation.