A phenomenological study of adult cancer patients and therapy dogs in a clinical setting

A growing body of research has begun to address the question of therapy pets in medical settings. The therapeutic use of pets has been credited with health benefits such as reduced blood pressure and heart rate, reduced stress, enhanced psychological well-being, and even increased muscular strength and mobility (Brodie & Biley, 1999; Brodie, Biley, & Shewring, 2002; Cole, et al., 2000; Connor & Miller, 2000a, 2000b; Hibell, 1987; Kahn & Farrag, 2000; Stanley-Hermanns & Miller, 2002). Three categories of pet-associated hazards present reasonable cause for caution in pet therapy programs. Animal bites, hypersensitivity to pet dander, and the transmission of zöonoses from animal to human are considered the highest risks associated with AAT (Brodie, et al., 2002; Donowitz, 2002; Khan & Farrag, 2000; Schantz, 1990). As the use of therapy dogs increases in clinical settings, the issue of zöonotic disease transmission grows more significant. The purpose of the study was two-fold: First the study involved investigating the perspectives of adult cancer patients concerning the psychosocial benefits of animal assisted therapy through semi-structured interviews with the patients. Secondly, through participant observation, the study considered the potential zöonotic disease risks of therapy dogs used in a clinical healthcare setting at The Curtis and Elizabeth Anderson Cancer Institute at Memorial Health University Medical Center. On a final note, a key question was considered: Does the potential psychosocial benefits of pet therapy outweigh the potential zöonotic disease risks?