Therapy Dogs Bring Joy to Cincinnati Childrens Patients

When Cincinnati Children's created a pet therapy program in 1993, we were one of the first children's hospitals to offer pet therapy to patients. Research has shown that interaction with dogs offers substantial medical and emotional benefits to sick children. Watch Darby, one of our pet therapy dogs, visit with a patient, Andrew.

Each year more than 120 dogs apply to be a pet therapy dog at Cincinnati Children's. Only 10 or so each year are chosen to volunteer based on the standards that are necessary for them to participate in the hospital setting. Whether they're large or small, purebred or mixed breeds, our dogs are all calm, gentle, well trained and most of all love children.