Doctor Rodríguez Lafora Hospital, in Fuencarral-El Pardo, has hosted the first animal-assisted therapy workshop in the region. Twenty patients with severe mental disorders participated in the sessions, showing an average improvement of 31% in wellbeing.
The Community of Madrid has launched a pioneering initiative in Spain: a therapeutic programme with dogs for adults with severe mental disorders. The project has been developed at the public Doctor Rodríguez Lafora Hospital, in the Fuencarral-El Pardo district, where 20 patients admitted to the Prolonged Psychiatric Care Unit took part in the first Animal-Assisted Intervention (AAI) Workshop.
The aim is to promote emotional health, social interaction, and bonding among participants through activities with specially trained dogs. According to preliminary results, the initiative has been very well received by users.
The evaluation was conducted using the WHO-5 questionnaire from the World Health Organization, which measures subjective mental wellbeing. In the first session, the group's average score increased from 18.3 to 19.4 points; in the third session, it barely changed, from 21.3 to 21.5. The most notable change was recorded in the sixth and final evaluated session, when the average increased from 18.6 to 24.3 points, representing a 31% increase.
Participants highlighted in the questionnaires the direct contact with the dogs, the activities carried out, the affection received, and the relaxing environment. One of the most frequently requested suggestions was for the programme to continue periodically.
The hospital warns that the results should be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size and variability in attendance. However, the combination of quantitative and qualitative data suggests a positive reception and a potential contribution to the emotional wellbeing of patients.
The workshop is part of the community and person-centred care model that the centre has promoted since 2025, aimed at humanising care. The hospital plans to continue evaluating future editions to decide whether the initiative becomes established within its portfolio of activities.
For the residents of Fuencarral-El Pardo and the rest of the region, this experience opens the door to new therapeutic tools in Madrid's public healthcare system. The centre is already working on organising new editions of the workshop, with results to be announced when available.
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