Therapy Dogs Bringing Comfort to Brazilian Patients

At the University Hospital of Brasília, therapy dogs are doing more than wagging tails — they’re transforming mental health treatment.

For the past three years, the hospital’s psychiatric unit has partnered with the Brasília Institute for Animal-Assisted Interventions (IBIAA) to introduce “dog-assisted interventions,” a therapeutic model that helps patients manage stress, anxiety, and depression.

Inside the ward, a trained pack — Cissa, Chico, Magali, Milo, and Saphira — provide companionship and comfort to patients through guided sessions supervised by psychologists, handlers, and medical staff.

According to the head of the unit, Sílvia Furtado de Barros, these interactions not only lift moods but also improve engagement in recovery.

Melissa Lopes, president of the IBIAA, shared a powerful example: one non-verbal patient began speaking and even singing after bonding with one of the dogs.

The initiative, carefully regulated by the hospital’s Infection Control Committee, demonstrates how emotional support animals can play a vital role in mental health care — one paw at a time.