What is the best therapy animal?

Hospitals, courtrooms and care homes all use animals now. The obvious candidate is on this list, and so are several that turned out to work better with people the obvious one frightens.

1

Dog

The default therapy animal in hospitals, courts and airports, trained to stay calm in chaos.

2

Cat

Works by weight and purr rather than obedience, and suits people who find dogs too much.

3

Horse

Carries equine-therapy programmes for trauma, autism and physical rehabilitation.

4

Miniature Horse

Small enough for a hospital corridor and steady enough to guide a blind handler.

5

Rabbit

Quiet, warm and undemanding — the standard choice for classroom visits.

6

Guinea Pig

Reacts audibly to attention, which gives a nervous child instant feedback.

7

Alpaca

Curious, gentle and novel enough to break the ice in a care home.

8

Chicken

Used in care homes for residents who grew up on farms and want to hold one again.

9

Parrot

Talks, which gets a response from people who have stopped talking to staff.

10

Dolphin

The famous and most contested therapy animal, with welfare costs its advocates rarely price in.

11

Goat

The animal behind goat yoga, and reliably ridiculous enough to work.

12

Llama

Tall, calm and unbothered by wheelchairs, walkers and crowds.

13

Fish

An aquarium in a waiting room measurably lowers blood pressure without touching anyone.

14

Rat

Small, sociable and used in programmes where a dog would be too intimidating.