Pet Partners and Baxter Foundation Expand Therapy Animal Programs to Reach 100,000 Patients and Healthcare Workers in Two-Year Pilot
Pet Partners and the Baxter Foundation, the charitable arm of Baxter International Inc., have announced a new partnership aimed at expanding access to therapy animal programs in healthcare settings across the United States. The collaboration marks a significant effort to integrate animal-assisted interventions into patient care and healthcare workforce support, addressing growing concerns around emotional well-being, stress, and burnout in clinical environments.
The initiative will launch as a two-year pilot program in several key regions, including Northern California, Upstate New York, and Chicago. Through this program, the organizations aim to reach approximately 100,000 patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals. The broader goal is to help foster a more resilient healthcare system by incorporating therapy animal visits into routine care practices, thereby supporting both physical and emotional health.
Healthcare systems worldwide continue to face mounting pressure, with clinicians and staff experiencing high levels of stress and burnout. At the same time, patients and their families often navigate emotional challenges associated with illness, hospitalization, and long-term treatment. Therapy animals—particularly trained dogs—have increasingly been recognized as a valuable, non-pharmacological intervention that can provide comfort, reduce stress, and improve overall well-being.
Research has demonstrated that interactions with therapy animals can lead to measurable benefits for patients, including reduced perceptions of pain and lower levels of anxiety and depression. For healthcare workers, even short interactions—such as a five-minute visit with a therapy dog—have been shown to significantly decrease stress, anxiety, and cortisol levels. These outcomes highlight the potential of animal-assisted therapy as a simple yet impactful tool for enhancing the healthcare experience.
Despite these benefits, many hospitals and healthcare facilities face barriers to implementing therapy animal programs. Common challenges include limited administrative resources, lack of trained volunteers, and concerns around safety, infection control, and program sustainability. The partnership between Pet Partners and the Baxter Foundation seeks to address these gaps by providing the necessary infrastructure, training, and support to expand access to these programs.
A central component of the initiative is increasing the availability of therapy animals in healthcare environments. This will involve expanding the number of therapy animal visits and recruiting additional volunteers through Pet Partners’ established network. By growing the volunteer base, the program aims to ensure that more patients and healthcare workers can benefit from regular interactions with therapy animals.
In addition to expanding access, the partnership will focus on advancing the quality and safety of animal-assisted interventions. This includes enhancing volunteer education and training programs to ensure that therapy animal visits are conducted in accordance with evidence-based practices. Updates to Pet Partners’ safety and infection control training will play a key role in maintaining high standards, particularly in sensitive healthcare settings where patient safety is paramount.
Another important objective of the collaboration is to strengthen research in the field of animal-assisted therapy. The organizations plan to conduct a study examining the impact of therapy animals on healthcare professionals. This research is expected to generate new insights into how animal interactions can support workforce resilience, reduce burnout, and improve job satisfaction. By contributing to the scientific evidence base, the initiative aims to promote broader acceptance and integration of therapy animal programs within healthcare systems.
The partnership also includes opportunities for employee engagement. Staff from Baxter International will be encouraged to participate in volunteer activities, workplace well-being events, and other initiatives مرتبط with the program. This component not only supports the expansion of therapy animal services but also reinforces Baxter’s commitment to employee well-being and community involvement.
The inspiration behind the collaboration is rooted in a deeply personal story. Stacey Eisen, Chief Communications Officer at Baxter and President of the Baxter Foundation, shared the story of a young patient named Izzy. During her cancer treatment, Izzy formed a bond with a dog she named Baxter, inspired by the infusion pump that supported her chemotherapy. The comfort and companionship provided by the dog had a profound impact on Izzy and her family, illustrating the powerful role that animals can play during difficult medical journeys.
Eisen emphasized that this story serves as a reminder of the emotional and psychological support that therapy animals can provide. While Baxter International supports patients and healthcare providers through its medical products and services, this partnership allows the company to extend its impact in a more personal and human-centered way—bringing comfort directly to patients’ bedsides and supporting care teams throughout healthcare facilities.
Leadership at Pet Partners also highlighted the significance of the collaboration. Annie Peters, Chief Executive Officer of Pet Partners, expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity to expand access to therapy animals and deepen the impact of animal-assisted interventions. She noted that the partnership represents a meaningful step forward in advancing the human–animal bond within healthcare settings, ultimately benefiting both patients and healthcare professionals.
The two-year pilot program is now officially underway, with participating sites beginning to implement therapy animal visits and related activities. Over the course of the program, the organizations will monitor outcomes, gather feedback, and refine their approach to maximize impact. If successful, the initiative could serve as a model for broader adoption of therapy animal programs across healthcare systems nationwide.
In a healthcare environment increasingly focused on holistic and patient-centered care, the integration of therapy animals offers a unique and powerful complement to traditional medical treatments. By addressing emotional well-being alongside physical health, programs like this have the potential to improve overall outcomes and enhance the experience of care for patients, families, and healthcare workers alike.
Ultimately, the partnership between Pet Partners and the Baxter Foundation underscores the growing recognition of the human–animal bond as a valuable component of modern healthcare. Through expanded access, enhanced training, and ongoing research, the initiative aims to bring the benefits of therapy animals to more people—helping to create a more compassionate, supportive, and resilient healthcare system for the future.
Source Link: https://www.baxter.com/
