Pet Therapy at Hospice Savannah

Pets have a longstanding history of providing faithful companionship and showing unconditional love for the humans in their lives. This companionship and love creates a powerful emotional bond between animal and human.
When people are ill or facing the end of life, the associated stress can lead to anxiety, depression, and decreased satisfaction with the care they receive. Pet therapy-the use of trained animals to benefit patients and improve outcomes-is a way to effectively address patients' stress while in healthcare settings.
Although not called pet therapy until the 1960s, animals have been used to help humans heal for centuries. In fact, in the 1700s, dogs were used for patients with psychiatric disorders. The documented use of therapy pets began in the US in 1919, starting with psychiatric patients.
Visitation between patients and animals promotes activity, conversation, and emotional connection. Often, simply the presence of the animal is all that is required to promote the positive effects. Additionally, pet therapy has also been shown to improve patient satisfaction, energy levels, self-esteem, and mood, as well as decrease depression. Other benefits include increased motor skills and movement, improved social skills and verbal communication, decreased boredom, and a more positive outlook.
Pet therapy can also be beneficial for family members and other visitors as well. Family members and visitors, like patients, are under a significant amount of stress. Pet therapy can often help to address their stress in addition to the patient's stress. Not only does pet therapy positively affect patients and their visitors, it's also been shown to decrease stress levels for staff members who interact with the animals.
Hospice Savannah is proud to have an active pet therapy program and a Pet Peace of Mind program dating back to 2011. The Pet Peace of Mind program allows Hospice Savannah to extend care to the animals of our patients, so that patients can keep their beloved animals during their time under our service.
Our specially trained volunteers can provide pet food and cat litter; pet walking; routine veterinary care; grooming; foster care; and assistance with finding a “forever home” if the family cannot keep the pet after a patient’s death.
Hospice pet therapy is so much more than a simple visit with an animal. Animals and their handlers have the unique ability to bring transformative joy and comfort during a time when a patient’s outlook on life may be at its most grim. Hospice pet therapy, using the longstanding bond between humans and animals, brings joy, humor, unconditional love, and soothing companionship to those on the end-of-life journey.
Hospice Savannah's pet therapy and the Pet Peace of Mind program are both made possible by the generous support of donors from throughout the community. We’re grateful to have so many dedicated volunteers to help us to offer these meaningful and worthwhile services to our patients and their families.
For more information on pet therapy or Pet Peace of mind, please contact our Volunteer Services department at [phone]. To donate in support of pet therapy or Pet Peace of Mind, please visit our website or call [phone].