Pain is often inadequately managed in the ED, partly because of long wait times. Moreover, experiencing anxiety while waiting for care can adversely affect a patient's perception of both pain and wait times. Therapy dog visits to patients in public health settings, including hospitals, have been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and feelings of loneliness, but studies of their benefits have limitations. A controlled trial was designed to evaluate the impact of visiting dog therapy teams on patients' experiences of pain and related psychosocial and physiological variables in the ED.

Patients were assigned to either the intervention (97 patients) or control group (101 patients) based on day of the week. The intervention group received a 10-minute visit from a certified therapy dog and handler in addition to usual care. Pain severity, anxiety, depression, and general well-being were measured on a validated 11-point numeric rating scale, and blood pressure and heart rate were measured before and after the intervention. The intervention and control groups were similar in terms of age, gender, and ethnicity.

All participants reported pain at the time of recruitment. Compared with the control group, both men and women in the intervention group reported small but significant differences in pain, anxiety, depression, and general well-being after the therapy dog team visit. There were no significant changes in blood pressure and heart rate in the intervention and control groups.