Also known as: animal-assisted therapy, pet therapy, companion animals
Latest evidence update: 2026-03-12
Strongest in Consistency (95). Held back by Recency (31).
Solid mix of RCTs with some methodological gaps.
Good cross-study replication, some imprecision.
Thousands of participants across the literature.
Studies agree on direction of effect.
Mostly pre-2020 research; updates may be needed.
Areas where research points to a consistent direction of effect. The strength of evidence is graded; the size of the effect is not quantified.
Interacting with pets increases oxytocin, decreases cortisol, and lowers blood pressure. Dog owners have significantly lower cardiovascular mortality. The human-animal bond activates the same neural pathways as human social bonding.
A two-minute quiz builds a daily plan of habits, diet and supplements around your goals and what you already take. Free, no account needed.
Start the quizProtocolEngine provides general health information based on published research. This is not medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement or health protocol.
AAT has no meaningful effect on pain in adults.
Animal-assisted therapy shows no significant effect on positive symptoms in patients with psychotic disorders.
Animal-assisted therapy lowers systolic blood pressure in hospitalized children and teenagers compared to control conditions.
Pet therapy reduces self-reported stress compared to baseline.
Dog-assisted integrative psychological therapy can increase social network size in patients with psychosis.