PawS/OTive Impacts: A descriptive case study of a pilot program and preliminary assessment

Researchers have demonstrated the positive impact of including therapy animals in educational settings. There is evidence that incorporating animals into occupational therapy enhances client motivation, engagement, and fine motor skills, thereby supporting occupational performance across a range of activities. Similarly, therapy animals have been included in speech-language pathology sessions, where their presence appears to facilitate communication outcomes. However, much research on animal-assisted therapy has examined it in isolation rather than through interdisciplinary collaboration. This case study examined the implementation and perspectives of the PawS/OTive Impacts program, a collaborative initiative co-led by an occupational therapist and speech-language pathologist. To support this aim, a newly developed survey instrument, the Dog Influence on Learning Environment Scale, was piloted to collect preliminary data. Four professionals completed a descriptive survey. Publicly available online content served as artifacts to triangulate data with open-ended survey responses. Educational professionals perceived the PawS/OTive Impacts program to enhance student motivation, regulation, and social interaction skills while providing opportunities to work on a range of performance skills. These findings suggest ways in which the presence of therapy animals can be supportive when incorporated into an interdisciplinary team approach in a school setting. The Dog Influence on Learning Environment Scale also appears to reflect educational professional perspectives on incorporating a dog into a school environment.