It’s All About the Ruff: Utilizing Therapy Dogs to Address Trauma in Domestic Violence Settings

Within the context of victims and violence, this study serves multiple purposes: (1) to explore the impact of pet ownership on children and adolescents within the context of bullying and school violence; (2) to document the impact of therapy animals on domestic violence victims; (3) to document the impact of working canines in courts on domestic violence victims. Findings from three surveys (1,648 children and adolescents in school; 12 child counseling clients; 41 adult domestic violence counseling clients; and 69 domestic violence victims in court) contribute to a growing literature documenting the psychological benefits of interacting with pets and animals that provide therapeutic services. Children and adolescents with pets at home had greater coping skills than their peers without pets. Both adult victims of domestic violence and their children and adolescents saw therapeutic benefits from working with therapy animals, including increased comfort during therapy and increased likelihood of attendance. Within the context of legal advocacy within the courts, clients noted that the presence of canine court advocates made them more comfortable appearing at hearings and more likely to attend court when an animal is present.