How Therapy Dogs Change Lives: A Conversation with Rachel McPherson
Update: 2025-08-20
Description
In this episode of "Ask the Vet," Dr. Ann Hohenhaus speaks with Rachel McPherson, Founder and President of The Good Dog Foundation, about the transformative role of therapy dogs. For more than 25 years, Rachel has been a trailblazer in the movement to bring trained therapy dogs into the lives of people experiencing illness, trauma, or hardship.
Topics include:
- Rachel’s path from Academy Award–nominated film producer to therapy dog advocate
- The story of Fidel, her first therapy dog who worked at Ground Zero after 9/11
- Why therapy dogs are uniquely impactful in healing and recovery
- How The Good Dog Foundation expanded from 3 dogs to more than 1,000 therapy teams
- What makes a great therapy dog and handler team
- Groundbreaking research partnerships with Yale and Mount Sinai
- The Good Dog Foundation’s new initiatives
Also on this month’s show:
- Viral trending animal story about twin red panda cubs
- Animal news, including why some dogs watch TV, the mystery of cats and concrete slabs, and bearded dragons with tiny backpacks
- Pet health listener Q&A discussing paw licking in dogs, rare complications of rhabdomyolysis in cats, and vaccine reactions in pets
Do you have a pet question for Dr. Hohenhaus? Email askthevet@amcny.org to have your question answered on Ask the Vet's Listener Q&A.
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