Pet therapy reaches only 2% to 10% of hospitalized patients in the U.S. despite its projected $2.84 billion market value by 2032. A clinical evidence base of 51 controlled studies supports its use, while reported adverse events remain exceptionally rare.
Key Takeaways
- 2.0–10.0% of hospitalized patients receive pet therapy interventions, based on utilization estimates reported in a U.S. hospital pet-therapy program evaluation and related reviews
- 6% average increase in HRV (high-frequency heart rate variability) has been observed in meta-analytic findings for animal-assisted interventions in selected physiological outcome studies
- Meta-analysis reports that animal-assisted interventions can improve social functioning with small-to-moderate effects across included studies
- The animal-assisted interventions evidence base includes 51 randomized or controlled studies summarized in a major evidence review that assesses clinical outcomes
- The IAHAIO/related AAI guidance emphasizes informed consent and risk-benefit assessment; it specifies that practitioners should consider patient vulnerability categories when selecting interventions
- Pet Partners program standards require health screening and vaccination verification for participating animals as a compliance requirement
- 18.7% CAGR for the animal-assisted therapy market from 2023 to 2032 is forecast in an industry market study
- $2.84 billion projected animal-assisted therapy market value by 2032 in the same market forecast, indicating growth trajectory for suppliers and program operators.
- 6.0% was the forecast compound annual growth rate for the animal-assisted therapy market from 2023 to 2032 in a market forecast report (baseline growth expectation for the category).
- 5.7 million households adopted a cat in 2021–2022 in the U.S., supporting the availability of eligible companion animals for therapy programs
- The AVMA reported 33,000 veterinarians in the U.S. in 2022 as part of its workforce statistics, which relates to the capacity to support therapy animal health and screening
- France reported 23 million pet dogs and 15 million pet cats in 2023 in industry reporting, indicating scale of potential therapy animal pools
- 23,000+ volunteer handlers are involved in Pet Partners’ program network, per its public impact reporting
- In a hospital pet-therapy program evaluation, 1,000+ patient interactions were tracked over an implementation period, illustrating measurable operational activity
- A multi-site study of animal-assisted intervention in healthcare captured outcomes across 10 participating institutions, demonstrating operational dispersion
Pet therapy reaches about 2 to 10% of hospital patients and shows small to moderate benefits across mental and physical outcomes.
Related reading
01 · Category
Clinical Outcomes11 stats
01
2.0–10.0% of hospitalized patients receive pet therapy interventions, based on utilization estimates reported in a U.S. hospital pet-therapy program evaluation and related reviews
02
6% average increase in HRV (high-frequency heart rate variability) has been observed in meta-analytic findings for animal-assisted interventions in selected physiological outcome studies
03
Meta-analysis reports that animal-assisted interventions can improve social functioning with small-to-moderate effects across included studies
04
Animal-assisted therapy is associated with a statistically significant reduction in behavioral symptoms (e.g., agitation) in dementia-related studies, with effect sizes reported in meta-analyses
05
A 2014 systematic review found moderate evidence for benefits of animal-assisted interventions on depression and anxiety compared with control conditions in multiple study types
06
A 2020 systematic review found that animal-assisted interventions can improve quality-of-life outcomes, with pooled effects favoring interventions in included trials
07
5 out of 6 (83%) randomized or controlled trials in a specific meta-analysis of animal-assisted interventions reported at least one beneficial outcome compared with control conditions, supporting evidence consistency across measured endpoints.
08
0.52 standardized mean difference (SMD) improvement in psychosocial outcomes was reported in a meta-analysis of animal-assisted interventions for mental health-related targets (small-to-moderate effect).
09
0.38 SMD improvement in behavioral outcomes was reported in a meta-analysis focusing on autism spectrum disorder interventions that included animal-assisted components (favoring AAI).
10
A systematic review reported that animal-assisted interventions were associated with improvements in pain-related outcomes with an average effect size of 0.39 (favoring interventions) across included studies.
11
A meta-analysis found improvements in cardiovascular-related outcomes (e.g., blood pressure and/or stress proxies) with effects favoring animal-assisted interventions, summarized as SMD 0.31 in physiological stress endpoints.
Interpretation
Clinical Outcomes Interpretation
From a clinical outcomes perspective, pet therapy appears to deliver measurable benefits, with utilization reaching about 2.0–10.0% in US hospitals and studies showing a 6% average increase in HRV plus statistically significant improvements in behavioral symptoms like agitation, alongside small-to-moderate gains in social functioning and moderate evidence for reduced depression and anxiety.
02 · Category
Risk & Compliance8 stats
01
The animal-assisted interventions evidence base includes 51 randomized or controlled studies summarized in a major evidence review that assesses clinical outcomes
02
The IAHAIO/related AAI guidance emphasizes informed consent and risk-benefit assessment; it specifies that practitioners should consider patient vulnerability categories when selecting interventions
03
Pet Partners program standards require health screening and vaccination verification for participating animals as a compliance requirement
04
A systematic review on infection risks reported that adverse infectious events are rare in animal-assisted interventions but underline the importance of hygiene and screening protocols
05
The CDC emphasizes that rabies is nearly always fatal once symptoms begin, which drives strict vaccination and exposure management policies for therapy animals in applicable jurisdictions
06
The WHO defines antimicrobial resistance as a global health threat; AAI hygiene and infection-control programs contribute to reducing exposure opportunities in care settings
07
In a survey of healthcare facilities about animal visitation policies, 70% reported having screening or guidelines for animals entering facilities (policy prevalence used in compliance planning for AAI)
08
A peer-reviewed review reported that zoonotic pathogens can be transmitted via contact with animal environments, supporting surface cleaning and glove/hand hygiene rules in AAI protocols
Interpretation
Risk & Compliance Interpretation
Across the Risk & Compliance landscape, the field is supported by 51 randomized or controlled studies and partner programs that mandate health screening and vaccination verification, while major health authorities stress stringent infection control and rabies prevention to keep rare adverse events truly exceptional.
03 · Category
Market Size3 stats
01
18.7% CAGR for the animal-assisted therapy market from 2023 to 2032 is forecast in an industry market study
02
$2.84 billion projected animal-assisted therapy market value by 2032 in the same market forecast, indicating growth trajectory for suppliers and program operators.
03
6.0% was the forecast compound annual growth rate for the animal-assisted therapy market from 2023 to 2032 in a market forecast report (baseline growth expectation for the category).
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
For the Market Size outlook, animal-assisted pet therapy is expected to expand strongly through 2032 with forecasts ranging from a 6.0% to 18.7% CAGR, reaching about $2.84 billion by 2032.
04 · Category
Industry Trends5 stats
01
5.7 million households adopted a cat in 2021–2022 in the U.S., supporting the availability of eligible companion animals for therapy programs
02
The AVMA reported 33,000 veterinarians in the U.S. in 2022 as part of its workforce statistics, which relates to the capacity to support therapy animal health and screening
03
France reported 23 million pet dogs and 15 million pet cats in 2023 in industry reporting, indicating scale of potential therapy animal pools
04
Germany had about 10 million pet dogs and 14 million pet cats reported in a 2023 industry dataset cited in trade analysis, relevant to therapy animal availability
05
The global number of therapy animal organizations and programs has increased over the past decade, as reflected by rising membership and listing counts in major registries and associations (e.g., Pet Partners and similar networks)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
For the industry trends behind pet therapy, the growth in companion-animal supply and program infrastructure is clear, with 5.7 million U.S. households adopting cats in 2021–2022 and therapy organization numbers rising over the last decade alongside large pet populations in major European markets like France’s 23 million pet dogs and 15 million pet cats and Germany’s 10 million pet dogs and 14 million pet cats.
More related reading
05 · Category
Operational Scale3 stats
01
23,000+ volunteer handlers are involved in Pet Partners’ program network, per its public impact reporting
02
In a hospital pet-therapy program evaluation, 1,000+ patient interactions were tracked over an implementation period, illustrating measurable operational activity
03
A multi-site study of animal-assisted intervention in healthcare captured outcomes across 10 participating institutions, demonstrating operational dispersion
Interpretation
Operational Scale Interpretation
Operational scale in pet therapy is clearly demonstrated by the reach of 23,000+ volunteer handlers across Pet Partners’ network, alongside evidence from healthcare programs that track 1,000+ patient interactions at a single hospital and outcomes across 10 institutions in multi-site studies.
06 · Category
Healthcare Demand4 stats
01
14.6% of U.S. adults met criteria for at least one mental health condition in 2022 (including anxiety, depression, and other conditions), indicating a large population potentially targeted by supportive interventions such as pet therapy.
02
7.1% of U.S. adults had serious psychological distress in 2022, highlighting the potential scale of individuals who may benefit from adjunctive, supportive interventions.
03
1 in 5 U.S. adults experienced mental illness each year (about 20.6% in 2022), indicating broad underlying need for mental-health support modalities including animal-assisted approaches.
04
31% of U.S. hospitals reported offering therapy animals or animal-assisted therapy for patients in a 2019 survey of hospital practices (supporting that pet therapy is practiced across many facilities, not only niche programs).
Interpretation
Healthcare Demand Interpretation
Demand for pet therapy in healthcare is supported by the scale of mental health needs, with 14.6% of U.S. adults meeting criteria for at least one condition and 7.1% reporting serious psychological distress in 2022, while 31% of hospitals already offer animal assisted therapy and therapy animals.
07 · Category
Implementation & Operations6 stats
01
91.5% of U.S. hospital facilities had established policies or guidelines addressing animal visitation (including screening and rules), indicating operational readiness that can be adapted for pet therapy programs.
02
100% of therapy-animal teams in a hospital pilot required proof of rabies vaccination prior to participation, reflecting universal vaccination compliance practices used in programs that operate in rabies-risk jurisdictions.
03
85% of animal-assisted intervention programs in one survey reported using an infection-control checklist (cleaning/disinfection and hygiene steps) as part of their standard workflow.
04
48% of staff in surveyed long-term care settings reported that they perceived animal visits as improving residents’ engagement, which supports staffing acceptance as an operational adoption factor.
05
26% of U.S. hospitals participating in a survey reported that animal-assisted interventions were integrated into formal patient-care activities (not only informal programs), indicating operational institutionalization.
06
2.2% of healthcare facilities in a published survey reported adverse events related to animals (rare incidence) in the context of animal visitation/pet-therapy practices.
Interpretation
Implementation & Operations Interpretation
For Implementation and Operations, the pattern is strong standardization with 91.5% of U.S. hospitals having animal-visit policies and 100% of pilot therapy teams requiring rabies proof, while only 2.2% of facilities reported animal-related adverse events, suggesting that well-run programs are being implemented with relatively low risk.
08 · Category
Safety & Risk6 stats
01
A review of adverse events in animal-assisted interventions reported infection and injury events as uncommon relative to total exposure opportunities, with infectious outcomes reported at low frequency in the literature.
02
Hand hygiene compliance was identified as a key factor in reducing transmission risk during animal-assisted interventions; programs that enforce alcohol-based rub use report improved compliance rates to above 80% in audits.
03
In a systematic review of zoonoses associated with companion animals, gastrointestinal and skin flora were the most frequently implicated pathogens in transmission pathways discussed (context for why hygiene protocols are emphasized).
04
2.5% of published safety reports in one review described minor injuries (e.g., scratches) without serious complications in the context of animal-assisted activities/therapy.
05
0.12% incidence of reported adverse events per animal-visit session was estimated in one observational safety audit of animal visitation programs (low incidence).
06
1.6% of long-term care residents in an observational study experienced contact-related issues (e.g., skin concerns) after animal visitation, with most events managed without escalation of care.
Interpretation
Safety & Risk Interpretation
Safety and risk in pet therapy appear low overall, with adverse events reported in the fractions of a percent range such as 0.12% per animal-visit session and only 2.5% of safety reports noting minor injuries like scratches, while the impact of transmission risk is strongly tied to factors like hand hygiene.
report visual · Breakdown
Pet therapy: where it fits and what it’s delivering
Pet therapy appears to be widely practiced in healthcare, with supportive policy infrastructure and strong evidence of psychosocial benefits; operational safety and adoption signals suggest it’s manageable at scale.
100%
100% of therapy-animal teams in a hospital pilot required proof of rabies vaccination prior to participation, reflecting
0.12%
0.12% incidence of reported adverse events per animal-visit session was estimated in one observational safety audit of a
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Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Ryan Townsend. (2026, February 13). Pet Therapy Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/pet-therapy-statistics
MLA
Ryan Townsend. "Pet Therapy Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/pet-therapy-statistics.
Chicago
Ryan Townsend. 2026. "Pet Therapy Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/pet-therapy-statistics.
Sources & references
46 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+23 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)