Animal therapy uses animals, mostly dogs, to aid in healing patients holistically. Dogs have an overwhelming gratitude and exuberance for life and this effect on people is astounding. Furthermore, animal-facilitated therapy has been researched and its effectiveness on patients’ outcomes and healing is documented, yet it continues to be a standing controversial topic in nursing and health care. With a soaring trend of the incorporation of complementary therapies into the mainstream of health care, animal-facilitated therapy has become a popular interest for the health care team to integrate into a patient’s plan of care. This systematic literature summarizes the current research on the use of animal therapy in several patient populations and provides nursing implications for practice.

• 김옥진(원광대학교 동물매개치료 대학원, 원광대학교 동물자원개발연구센터) | Okjin Kim Corresponding author