“A llama, one cat, and three dogs walk into a nursing home…” sounds like the beginning of a joke, but not necessarily an unusual scenario in our Pleasant Valley community.

The best medicine for some medical or mental health issues isn’t just medicine at all … it’s pet therapy (also known as animal-assisted therapy) in the form of a wet nose or a warm hug to brighten a resident’s day.

We’ve seen the positive impact that the friendship of a furry friend has had on our residents. Pet therapy has been known to boost well-being and help improve health issues including high blood pressure and anxiety. It’s often recommended for:

We partner with the Arkansas Humane Society of Pulaski County’s Puppy Love Program, so healthy puppies, dogs and cats can pay frequent visits to the Pleasant Valley community. On Pet Therapy days, the animals love the attention and our residents are overjoyed with pet companionship, so visits are beneficial for everyone. Days are brighter, smiles are bigger, and laughter is louder.