Animal-Assisted Therapy for Trauma Survivors

AAI is an umbrella term used to define interventions that include animals as a part of their processes

Can the simple presence of animals help individuals with something as complex as trauma? Research on trauma suggests that time does not heal, but instead leaves the individual to grow more vulnerable to stressors around them (Germain et al., 2018). While Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) has become a significant practice today, the inclusion of animals in clinical settings is not new. It dates back to the late 18th century, when animals were a part of mental health institutions and psychological clinics that helped patients socialize among themselves.

What is an Animal-Assisted Intervention (AAI)?
AAI is an umbrella term used to define interventions that include animals as a part of their processes. These include targeted therapeutic interventions called Animal-Assisted Therapies (AAT), or less structured interventions called Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA) (O’Haire et al., 2015).

Why Traditional Interventions Aren’t Always Enough
Traditional interventions have always relied on the assumption that disclosure of events, both positive and negative, has a great impact on relieving distress. However, research suggests that trauma survivors, especially individuals with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), report having more difficulty in disclosing the traumatic event (Bedard-Gilligan et al., 2012). Additionally, traditional talk therapies can trigger hyperarousal in some cases, leading to avoidance and overwhelm, with the risk of retraumatization. The individual differences in dealing with trauma suggest that trauma survivors may be threatened by the prospect of reliving the experience through verbal retelling or exposure techniques, leading to higher dropout rates.

Evidence and Examples of Dog-Assisted Interventions
Studies that have investigated stress parameters of healthy individuals suggest that stroking, petting, and interacting with dogs result in a decrease in cortisol levels and a significant reduction in psychological stress markers. Dogs have been shown to reduce subjective stress stemming from traumatic stressors/events. In a study conducted where healthy individuals were accompanied by a dog while watching a traumatic film, it was found that they experienced less stress and anxiety and a less negative effect after watching the clip, as compared to individuals who were not accompanied by a dog (Lass-Hennemann et al., 2018). While traditional talk therapies might rekindle trauma, as in the case of soldiers with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and veterans, therapy dogs helped them to be relaxed and calm, and promoted thought selection with positive thoughts in the forefront while they were with the therapy dog (Beetz et al., 2019).

Complex trauma exposure has been a big challenge for children and adolescents as well, where they experience repetitive interpersonal issues and challenges within their caregiver system: parents, immediate family, and other caregivers. Children’s avoidance of disclosing the traumatic event and a decreased trust in relationships make animal-assisted interventions an important addition to be combined with psychotherapeutic interventions. Therapy dogs involved in the process show unconditional positive regard and influence the trauma survivors by changing their perspectives of themselves, making them feel worthy of affection and trust. Developing a connection with animals works best for individuals who struggle to form human interactions and attachments (Chapman et al., 2024).

Similar results can be seen in the case of survivors of sexual assault. While cognitive behavioral therapy techniques have been considered to be effective measures to treat PTSD, reviews have shown that children who have experienced sexual assault commonly disengage from this type of therapy. Through AAIs, the child may talk to the animal rather than the therapist, potentially calming the stress that is stemming from shameful and/or sensitive disclosures (Signal et al., 2017).

Why AAT Works for Trauma Survivors
AAT significantly helps survivors of trauma by lowering their anxiety and building their trust by providing unconditional acceptance and a chance to be vulnerable, demonstrated by trained animals and their handlers. Research has suggested that petting therapy animals releases endorphins, making people feel better, and decreases feelings related to pain, grief, and loneliness. A research study undertaken also showed how petting a cat or a dog for even a minute stimulated the release of oxytocin. This hormone enhances trust, cooperation, and feelings of love and happiness. It has shown impacts on physiological features such as a reduction in elevated heart rates, a calming of the blood pressure, and so on (Mims & Waddell, 2016). Individuals getting these interventions showed improvements in their symptoms, with fewer internalizing concerns and externalizing problems (Pandey et al., 2024).

AAIs-Animal-Assisted Interventions, dog-assisted therapies, and equine-assisted therapy—are emerging and newer fields in therapeutic approaches. Existing data and first-hand research conducted suggest that the dropout rates for traditional psychotherapeutic approaches to address trauma were (Imel et al., 2013; Semmlinger et al., n.d.), and that of Animal-Assisted Therapy was found to be relatively lower, (Seeger et al., 2025). From this data, it can be considered that traditional methods paired with animal-assisted interventions might be effective. What animals offer trauma survivors is not a direct cure, but a way to feel safe and comfortable enough to begin healing.

Authors: Shravani Shahane, Undergraduate Student, FLAME University & Prof. Moitrayee Das, Faculty of Psychology, FLAME University.