Abstract
Animal- and dog-assisted therapy are widely recognized internationally; however, Thailand lacks a
clear policy framework and standardized governance for therapy dog services. This study aimed to
conduct a scoping review to synthesize policy-relevant evidence for developing health policies on
therapy dog services, focusing on scope of services, target patients, and effectiveness and efficiency of
service delivery. A scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology,
reviewing literature published between 2014 and 2024 from international databases and gray literature.
The findings were grouped into three key themes: (1) the scope of services operated as a network-based
system encompassing standard setting, screening of animals and handlers, service delivery, and
monitoring and evaluation; (2) target patients were diverse, with service eligibility emphasizing suitability,
safety, and informed consent; and (3) effectiveness and efficiency of service delivery depended on
operational standards, continuous monitoring and evaluation, and appropriate resource allocation. This
study suggests that Thailand should develop an integrated health policy framework to ensure safe,
standardized, and sustainable therapy dog services.
