The impact of therapy dogs on perceptions of police officers

Abstract Background : Amid national conversations about police accountability and injustice, therapy dogs in police stations may offer an innovative way to improve police-community interactions. This study examined the impact of therapy dog presence on perceptions of police officers, as well as the potential moderating role of officer gender and participants’ general attitudes toward law enforcement on this effect. Methods : A total of N = 473 participants (72% female, M age = 20.8, 56% White) completed an anonymous online survey and were randomized to view one of four images containing a male or female officer either alone or accompanied by a therapy dog. Participants rated officer images on perceived friendliness, approachability, trustworthiness, comfort, and agreeableness, and completed a measure of attitudes toward law enforcement. Results : There was a small effect of therapy dog presence on participants’ perceptions of images, such that officers pictured with a therapy dog were rated more positively than those pictured alone (p = 0.03; ηp 2 = 0.02). Officer gender and participants’ attitudes toward law enforcement did not significantly moderate the association between therapy dog presence and officer perception ratings (p’s > 0.20), suggesting that the beneficial effect of the therapy dog was relatively consistent even among those with more negative views of police. Conclusions : These findings offer preliminary evidence that therapy dogs may improve perceptions of police officers, warranting further study in real-world community contexts.