Research Overviewanimal assisted therapy

Animal-Assisted Therapy and PTSD: A Review of the Research

Equine and canine-assisted therapies for PTSD have attracted increasing research attention, particularly in veteran populations. This review examines what the evidence currently shows.

By Gyfts Editorial Team 15 January 2025

Reviewed by Dr. Ava Gardner · Integrative Medicine Researcher12 March 2026Emerging evidence

Animal-Assisted Therapy and PTSD: A Review of the Research — holistic health

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Quick answer

Equine and canine-assisted therapies for PTSD have attracted increasing research attention, particularly in veteran populations. This review examines what the evidence currently shows.

Key Takeaways

•Multiple studies show AAT reduces PTSD symptom severity, particularly hypervigilance and social withdrawal.
•Equine-assisted therapy has the largest evidence base for PTSD among AAT modalities.
•Evidence quality is improving but most trials are small and lack active controls.
•The non-verbal, relational nature of animal interaction may access therapeutic dimensions beyond talking therapies.
•AAT is best positioned as an adjunct to evidence-based PTSD treatments such as EMDR or prolonged exposure.
•Service dogs (a related but distinct category) have separate and stronger evidence.

Why PTSD?

PTSD presents unique therapeutic challenges. Many survivors find verbal recounting of trauma retraumatising, or that hypervigilance and social avoidance make it difficult to engage with human therapeutic relationships. Animal-assisted approaches offer a different relational entry point that does not depend on verbal fluency.

The Veteran Research

The most extensively studied population for AAT and PTSD is military veterans. A 2020 systematic review of 11 studies found consistent reductions in PTSD severity, depression, and social isolation, with equine-assisted programmes showing the most robust results. A notable randomised pilot study found significantly greater reductions in PTSD Checklist scores after a 6-week equine programme, with gains maintained at 3-month follow-up.

Proposed Mechanisms

Horses are prey animals with highly developed threat-detection and are acutely sensitive to human autonomic nervous system states — their responses provide real-time feedback on the veteran's stress physiology. The embodied, non-verbal nature of working with animals may access somatic dimensions of trauma more directly than verbal therapy alone.

Limitations and Clinical Position

Most trials are small, lack active comparison conditions, and vary considerably in protocol. Publication bias likely inflates apparent effects. The clinical position of AAT in PTSD treatment should be complementary — a meaningful adjunct for appropriate individuals, particularly those who struggle to engage with conventional talking therapies.

Evidence Context

emerging

Emerging to moderate evidence supports AAT for PTSD symptom reduction. A 2020 systematic review found consistent improvements in PTSD severity, depression, and quality of life across 11 trials.

Safety & Considerations

PTSD-specific considerations apply: animals should not be used in ways that replicate trauma triggers. Practitioners must have PTSD-informed training. AAT should be delivered alongside specialist mental health support for clinical PTSD.

Who May Benefit

Trauma survivors seeking complementary support
Veterans exploring non-verbal therapeutic approaches
Clinicians considering integrating AAT into PTSD treatment

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes animals therapeutic for trauma survivors?

Proposed factors include the non-judgemental relational quality of animals, the opportunity to rebuild trust through lower-stakes animal relationships, animals as safe co-regulation partners, and the embodied, sensory nature of animal contact which may access somatic dimensions of trauma.

Is there evidence for service dogs for PTSD?

Yes — and it is distinct and stronger. Psychiatric service dogs trained specifically for PTSD-related tasks have growing evidence for symptom reduction and quality-of-life improvement. They differ from AAT in being the individual's own animal.

Written by

Gyfts Editorial Team

Editorial team at Gyfts researching holistic health modalities.

Reviewed by

Dr. Ava Gardner

Integrative Medicine Researcher

MB BCh BAO, MSc Integrative Medicine, MRCGP

Dr. Ava Gardner is a Dublin-based integrative medicine physician with over 15 years of clinical experience bridging conventional general practice and evidence-based complementary care. She holds a Masters in Integrative Medicine from the University of Arizona and has worked extensively in chronic pain management, women's hormonal health, and mind-body medicine. Dr. Gardner reviews health content for Gyfts to ensure clinical accuracy, balanced evidence presentation, and responsible safety guidance across modality and condition pages.

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