When Murphy, a golden retriever with a gentle gait and soft eyes, pads into the common room of an Edmonton long-term care home, 88-year-old Margaret beams in a way the staff haven’t seen in months. "She hasn’t spoken much since her stroke," says a nurse, "but today she said, ‘Who’s that handsome boy?’" Murphy is part of a pilot project led by University of Alberta nursing researcher Brittany DeGraves, who is bringing therapy dogs into long-term care homes to measure their impact on residents’ well-being — and what she’s finding could reshape how we care for aging Canadians. With 69% of long-term care residents living with dementia and 87% experiencing some form of cognitive impairment, DeGraves sees animal-assisted visits not as a novelty, but as a vital, joyful intervention. Her recent feasibility study, published in BMC Geriatrics, interviewed 14 staff members, two residents, and two community members — including a therapy dog volunteer and a person living with dementia — all of whom affirmed that pets help reduce social isolation and improve mental health.
This summer, DeGraves launched a clinical trial across two Edmonton care homes in partnership with the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program. Over six weeks, some residents receive regular visits from trained volunteers and their dogs, while others receive only human visitation or standard care. The goal is to track changes in quality of life, mood, and social engagement from before to after the intervention. DeGraves hopes the data will pave the way for standardized, nationwide pet therapy programs. Her passion is personal: she first witnessed the transformative power of animal visits when her grandfather, unable to recognize his family after a stroke, lit up at the sight of a therapy dog. "This was something that reminded him of himself," she recalls. "It was a reminder that he was still that person."
Her experience as a student nurse deepened her conviction. She watched residents who rarely spoke suddenly chatter when dogs arrived. Later, during a research term at Maastricht University, she studied Green Care Farms in the Netherlands — dementia care homes where residents care for sheep, rabbits, and dogs as part of daily life. "They had so much independence and joy," she says. "It was eye-opening." Still, barriers exist: fear of animals, allergies, and infection risks. DeGraves advocates for careful screening of animals and volunteers, clear communication with families, and one-on-one visits to ensure safety and comfort. Her vision is bold but simple: to make pet therapy a standard part of long-term care in Canada. "These individuals had a life before this," she says. "Let’s bring them moments of joy — not just for a visit, but as part of how we care." As Murphy rests his head on Margaret’s lap and she strokes his fur with trembling hands, the room grows quiet — not with sadness, but with the kind of peace that comes from being seen, remembered, and loved.