Animal-Assisted Therapy

A non-pharmacological therapeutic approach in which interaction with animals — typically dogs, cats, or horses — is used to support physical, cognitive, social, or emotional health goals. Evidence suggests AAT can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve mood and engagement in clinical, rehabilitation, and care settings. For accessibility, AAT intersects with disability support through dementia care, autism interventions, trauma recovery, and mental-health services, though practical constraints (allergies, hygiene, safety, cost) have motivated complementary work on animal-inspired robots and VR-based virtual pets as scalable alternatives.