Paws for Progress: How Therapy Animals Are Tackling Healthcare Burnout

BELLEVUE, WA & DEERFIELD, IL – March 25, 2026 – A new, large-scale initiative is unleashing the power of the human-animal bond to address one of the most pressing crises in modern medicine: the well-being of patients and their caregivers. Pet Partners, the nation's leading therapy animal organization, has joined forces with the Baxter Foundation, the philanthropic arm of medtech leader Baxter International, to launch an ambitious two-year pilot program. The goal is to bring the comfort of therapy animals to 100,000 patients and healthcare professionals across the United States, starting with key regions in Northern California, Upstate New York, and Greater Chicago.

The partnership, backed by the largest single investment of its kind from a corporate foundation, signals a significant shift towards integrating non-pharmacological, holistic interventions into the core of healthcare. It aims to build a more resilient healthcare system by providing much-needed moments of calm and connection in the high-stress environment of hospitals and clinics.

A Growing Prescription for Stress and Anxiety

The timing of the initiative could not be more critical. Hospitals across the country are grappling with unprecedented levels of staff burnout, while patients face the emotional and psychological toll of illness and treatment. This is where animal-assisted therapy is proving to be more than just a heartwarming distraction; it's an evidence-based intervention with measurable benefits.

Extensive research has shown that interactions with therapy animals can trigger a cascade of positive physiological and psychological effects. For patients, these visits have been linked to lower reported pain levels, reduced anxiety, and a decrease in symptoms of depression. The simple act of petting an animal can stimulate the release of mood-elevating hormones like serotonin and oxytocin, creating an automatic relaxation response that can lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health.

For the healthcare professionals on the front lines, the impact is just as profound. Studies have demonstrated that even brief, five-minute interactions with a therapy dog can significantly lower stress and anxiety levels among emergency room staff. These programs have been shown to boost mood and job satisfaction, providing a crucial buffer against the emotional exhaustion that contributes to burnout. The Pet Partners and Baxter Foundation program aims to formalize and expand these benefits, making them a consistent and reliable part of the hospital environment.

Beyond Medtech: A Strategic Investment in Compassion

For the Baxter Foundation, this partnership represents a strategic investment that extends its mission to "Save and Sustain Lives" beyond medical technology. While the foundation has a history of significant philanthropic grants, including multi-million dollar commitments to global water projects and STEM education, this particular investment in therapy animals is its largest single commitment aimed at bolstering healthcare resilience.

The inspiration for the collaboration came not from a boardroom, but from the bedside of a young cancer patient named Izzy. "Our collaboration with Pet Partners was inspired by the story of a young patient named Izzy who welcomed a dog into her life during her cancer treatment and named him Baxter – after the Baxter infusion pump that supported her chemotherapy," said Stacey Eisen, Baxter's chief communications officer and president of the Baxter Foundation. "Hearing how much comfort Baxter [the dog] brought Izzy and her family was a powerful reminder of how healing the human-animal bond can be during incredibly challenging moments."

This story encapsulates a broader trend in corporate social responsibility, where companies are looking for more human-centric ways to create social impact. By investing in a therapy animal program, the foundation is acknowledging that patient and provider well-being is a complex issue that requires a multi-faceted approach—one that includes compassion and emotional support alongside clinical excellence.

The Logistics of Love: Scaling a National Program

Bringing comfort to 100,000 people is not a simple task. It requires a robust infrastructure, rigorous standards, and meticulous planning—challenges this partnership is designed to address head-on. Many healthcare facilities, despite recognizing the benefits, lack the administrative capacity and volunteer base to sustain therapy animal programs.

The collaboration will leverage Pet Partners' 49 years of experience in the field. Since 1977, the organization has set the standard for registering, training, and supporting volunteer teams, which include nine different species of animals. The Baxter Foundation's investment will help Pet Partners expand its reach by recruiting more volunteers and increasing visits.

A key focus will be on safety and efficacy. The partnership will fund updates to Pet Partners' comprehensive safety and infection control course, a critical component for operating in clinical settings. Best practices in infection prevention are paramount, involving strict protocols such as mandatory hand hygiene before and after contact, thorough health screening for every animal, and using barriers like towels to prevent direct contact with hospital surfaces. Furthermore, the initiative will support a new study on the impact of therapy animals on healthcare professionals, strengthening the evidence base and promoting wider adoption.

"We are thrilled to partner with the Baxter Foundation to expand access to therapy animals and deepen the impact of animal-assisted interventions in healthcare," said Annie Peters, CEO of Pet Partners. "Together, we are creating meaningful moments that support resilience for healthcare workers and comfort for patients."

A Targeted Approach in High-Need Regions

The decision to launch the pilot in Greater Chicago, Northern California, and Upstate New York is a strategic one, targeting areas with well-documented healthcare needs. In Greater Chicago, for instance, community health assessments consistently identify behavioral health and building trauma resiliency as top priorities, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic which exacerbated stress on the system.

By introducing therapy animal programs in these specific communities, the initiative can provide direct support where it is most needed. The program not only offers a tool for managing patient anxiety and chronic disease-related stress but also provides a vital support system for healthcare workers in regions facing staffing challenges and high burnout rates. The pilot will serve as a real-world model for how to effectively integrate and scale these programs to address specific local health challenges.

The two-year pilot is now officially underway, marking a significant step forward in recognizing and harnessing the therapeutic power of animals in mainstream healthcare.