“Better Than Any Medicine:” Understanding How Therapy Dogs Support Patients Presenting with Mental Health and Substance Use Concerns in an Emergency Department Setting

In Canada, emergency departments have a large number of patients with mental health and substance use concerns passing through their doors. Our research aim was to assess the impact that therapy dog visits may have for patients presenting with mental health and/or substance use concerns to an emergency department based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Working alongside an active patient advisory group and community-based therapy dog program volunteers, our mixed method approach utilizing ethnography, surveys, and interviews showed that therapy dog visitation had a beneficial impact on both patients and staff, thus improving the overall patient experience. Our study displays how the patient experience was enhanced via improved patient communication; a decrease in agitation or distress; providing a sense of connection from perceived non-judgemental support; an increase in hope and optimism; and a welcomed, calming distraction from local stressors. Further, staff also received benefit in their working conditions where they considered the therapy dog a member of the care team. This paper outlines how including therapy dog visits as a complementary aide in existing provisional care settings provides a more holistic and empathetic approach to mental health and substance use responses in the Canadian context, which is particularly relevant in busy, high-stress emergency departments.