Pet Partners, a leading organization advancing human health through therapy animals, has partnered with the Baxter Foundation, Baxter International’s philanthropic arm, to expand therapy animal programs in U.S. healthcare settings. A two-year pilot in Northern California, Upstate New York, and Greater Chicago aims to reach 100,000 patients and healthcare professionals.
Healthcare professionals experience high stress and burnout, while patients and families face emotional challenges. Therapy animals provide comfort and support, reducing pain, anxiety, and depression for patients, and lowering stress and cortisol in healthcare workers. This partnership addresses administrative barriers by offering resources, training, and infrastructure for wider therapy animal integration.
Inspiration Behind the Initiative
Stacey Eisen, Chief Communications Officer and President of the Baxter Foundation, shared:
“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. The comfort Baxter brought Izzy and her family reminded us of the profound healing power of the human-animal bond.”
Partnership Objectives
Baxter Foundation’s support will enable Pet Partners to:
Expand access to therapy animals: Increase visits to healthcare settings and recruit more volunteers.
Advance animal-assisted interventions: Enhance volunteer education and training to ensure safe, evidence-based visits, including updated safety and infection control protocols.
Strengthen industry research: Conduct studies on the impact of therapy animals on healthcare professionals, building a stronger evidence base for their role in resilience and well-being.
Engage Baxter employees: Offer hands-on opportunities through volunteering, workplace well-being events, and related activities.
Annie Peters, CEO of Pet Partners, added:
“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. Together, we are creating meaningful moments that support resilience for healthcare workers and comfort for patients.”
