Pet therapy for children with cancer

Program Overview

At Fundación Aladina, the arrival of a therapy dog is one of the moments children undergoing cancer treatment look forward to most. What started as a small initiative has become a firmly established program, now running in eight hospitals across Spain. We have also extended it beyond hospital walls with a home-based service for children receiving palliative care, so that those unable to travel can still benefit from these visits.

Working alongside Asociación Perros Azules, we remain pioneers in bringing animal-assisted therapy to pediatric oncology patients. Every session is designed to do more than bring joy: it supports children emotionally and physically throughout the course of their treatment.

Program Impact

Across the most recent full year of the program, 334 children and adolescents took part in dog-assisted therapy, with 428 sessions delivered in total. These figures speak to both the rising demand for the program and the depth of its impact on young patients and their families.

The benefits of therapy with dogs reach far. Children communicate more openly, take part more readily in cooperative play, and build a stronger sense of empathy and connection. The sessions also strengthen motor skills, raise self-esteem, and draw out each child's individual abilities. Just as importantly, the presence of a therapy dog markedly eases the stress and anxiety that come with hospital stays and treatment, lifting overall emotional well-being.

Looking Ahead

As the program keeps growing, Fundación Aladina is committed to reaching more hospitals and more regions across Spain. By deepening our partnerships and widening access, we want to ensure that many more children facing cancer can experience the comfort, motivation, and happiness a therapy dog brings.

In every wagging tail and every shared smile, we are reminded that healing is not only medical — it is emotional too. And sometimes, it arrives on four paws.

Links:

• Aladina's website