Rehabilitation and Disability SIS

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Specialty Spotlight

April 2026 Specialty Spotlight: Occupational Therapy & Therapy Dogs

Meet … Peter DeLong, OTR/L, CLT

“Put yourself into amazing situations by putting yourself out there.”

Peter DeLong works at Magee Rehab, JMMR Center City, alongside Nigel, a therapy dog who helps patients achieve their goals while bringing joy and engagement to therapy. Nigel completed two years of training with Canine Companions, and Peter underwent two weeks of training with him there before bringing Nigel to Magee Rehab.

  1. What are 3 words that best describe you as an occupational therapy practitioner?
    • Creative + collaborative + motivated 
  2. Can you provide an overview of your OT practice experiences so far?
    • Pete was a student at Magee in 2014 and has worked at Magee ever since. He rotated through all the units, and he is currently a senior non-rotating OT on the SCI inpatient rehab unit. He said that there has not been a population he has not liked working with, but that he has felt the greatest connection with the SCI population.
  3. How did you specifically become involved in working with a therapy dog?
    • The program already existed in this hospital, so he followed the lead of the other therapists involved. Peter’s advice for someone who is seeking to start a program like this, the best thing you can do is bring attention to the benefits of having a therapy dog be part of the team. 
  4. What are common reasons clients may seek occupational therapy services with a therapy dog?
    • Pete relies heavily on primary therapists who complete initial screenings to see who may be appropriate to work with Nigel. If patients show interest, they are referred to Pete to have Nigel work with them. Some reasons someone would not work with Nigel are fear of dogs, not interested, isolation precautions, allergy, receptive/expressive aphasia, and transplant patients, as they would require a clearance.
  5. What are the top 2-3 assessments you use most frequently when working with a therapy dog?
    • Nigel is typically not utilized during assessments, as he might be a distraction from assessments.
  6. What are the 2-3 interventions or categories of interventions you use most frequently when treating with a therapy dog?
    • There are a variety of interventions Nigel is involved in, and the treating therapist helps dictate this. For example, Nigel is used for IADLs such as pet care, fine motor and trunk control, ambulation in PT, and to practice divided attention/dual tasking. The therapist Peter works with dictates how Nigel will be utilized in the session. Nigel knows over 50 commands, so he can be utilized in many different ways.
  7. What does a typical day look like as an OT practitioner with a therapy dog?
    • A typical day combines collaborative and independent work. In the mornings, Peter co-treats with OT, PT, SLP, and psychology, integrating his therapy dog, Nigel, into about 30 minutes of each 90-minute session to support patient engagement and therapeutic goals. In the afternoons, he manages his own caseload, primarily working with individuals with spinal cord injuries. Donor funding supports this program, allowing for creativity and interdisciplinary collaboration.
  8. How would you describe occupational therapy’s distinct value when working with a therapy dog?
    • Peter described OT’s distinct value as recognizing that many patients are meeting therapists at one of the lowest points in their lives. They’ve gone from their normal routines to a new reality filled with physical changes, loss, and a need to cope, which can feel overwhelming. Bringing in something as pure and nonjudgmental as a therapy dog helps restore a sense of normalcy, while also reducing fear and anxiety.
    • He also described the “Nigel effect,” where patients are able to do more when Nigel is involved because they feel happier and more engaged. There is a strong connection between mood and physical performance, and Nigel helps increase motivation. As a result, patients are often more willing to challenge themselves and push past barriers when he is part of the session.
  9. How would you describe occupational therapy’s role in canine-assisted therapy?
    • Occupational therapy provides a broad, flexible framework, and in our program, Nigel serves as a therapeutic modality. OT can support patients in achieving not only their OT goals but also their PT and SLP goals by integrating the therapy dog into treatment, enhancing engagement, motivation, and overall outcomes.
  10. What do you think is the biggest challenge (current or future) for occupational therapy practitioners in working with therapy dogs?
    • Peter noted that, with Nigel having participated in over 6,000 treatment sessions, many early challenges have already been addressed through experience. Initially, gaining buy-in from colleagues was a barrier, but over time, the team has come to recognize the value of the program.
    • Currently, the biggest challenge is demand. From a patient care perspective, Peter would like individuals to have more frequent access to Nigel, but due to the program’s popularity, patients are often only able to see him once a week or even every other week.
  11. What advice would you have for an OT practitioner or student who is interested in working with a therapy dog?
    • Pete’s advice is that if you have a passion, start having a conversation with the higher-ups, and do research beforehand. Additionally, reach out to organizations such as Canine Companions to discuss what it entails to have a therapy dog. He also encourages thinking in terms of program development-use your resources, build connections, and seek feedback, including “devil’s advocate” perspectives. Just as importantly, gain team support, secure funding, and advocate for your program by increasing its visibility and demonstrating its value.
  12. Anything else you would like to share with our community?
    • Peter’s advice for someone who gets a chance to start a program like this is to bring attention to it, because, to some extent, we are part of a business. Focus on your craft, figure out how it will work, toot your own horn, and spread the word. The more eyes, the better, to show the value of your program. It will benefit your patients and expand your resources. We are part of a business to some extent. Also, it is important to have a team and financial backing when starting a program.
  13. What are the next steps and goals for the therapy dog program at your facility?
    • Nigel’s next step is retirement! He will be 9 years old, which puts him within the typical retirement window. He is still doing an incredible job, but there are benefits to letting him be a dog. With this next step for Nigel, Peter will also have the opportunity to explore more of his OT interests, such as lymphedema, as he recently received his CLT.
    • The program is growing: an outpatient PT now has a therapy dog, and a recreational therapist at another Magee facility does as well. Additionally, another OT is working on bringing in a dog to eventually replace Nigel. The donors and everyone at Magee recognize the value of this program. They are also exploring ways to measure its impact, such as using Likert scales, to provide data that demonstrates the program’s benefits.
  14. What are some patients’ stories you can share with us where you worked together with Nigel?
    1. Helping an SCI patient get back into the community: The patient expressed a desire for a service dog, so they participated in a community outing and practiced using commands with Nigel. This helped the patient learn skills for a more independent life. 
    2. Supporting a patient after a traumatic loss: One patient had suffered significant burns in a house fire and had lost her dog. Interacting with Nigel provided a cathartic experience, allowing her to feel unconditional love and helping her understand that the tragedy was not her fault.

    3. Reuniting patients with the comfort of dogs: Nigel can be very therapeutic for patients who have not seen their own dogs for months, providing emotional support and comfort.

#SpecialtySpotlight #therapydog #animalassistedtherapy #inpatientrehab #spinalcordinjury

Do you have an idea for an RDSIS Specialty Spotlight? Or do you want to be spotlighted? Please reach out!

A big thank you to our RDSIS intern – @Ariella Levy – for helping coordinate and conduct this interview.

Thank you for reading, and Happy Occupational Therapy Month! 

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