'Animal medicine': Therapy donkeys help patients at French psychiatric hospital
At a psychiatric hospital near Paris, patients work with therapy donkeys to ease anxiety, build confidence and improve social interaction.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
A psychiatric unit outside Paris has turned to therapy donkeys as a formal part of care. Patients and staff say the animals help reduce stress, loneliness and self-doubt while supporting everyday rehabilitation.
A hospital near Paris is using donkeys to help people who feel sad, worried or alone. The patients walk with the animals, brush them and spend quiet time together.
The idea is that calm animals can help calm people. It is a bit like how sitting next to a friendly dog can make someone feel safer and less tense.
The doctors still use normal medicine too. The donkeys are an extra helper, like a gentle teammate that makes it easier for patients to talk, move around and feel better about themselves.
Analysis
A farm-like setting inside a hospital
At Ville-Evrard, a psychiatric hospital complex in Neuilly-sur-Marne, patients spend time walking, grooming and caring for five donkeys: Nono, Pitou, Oscar, Manolo and Malraux. The program began in 2016 and, since 2022, has had official status as a healthcare unit, which lets the hospital employ three full-time nurses. Public health funding covers patient participation, and volunteers help look after the animals.
What the sessions aim to do
Patients and staff describe the donkeys as calming and socially responsive. One patient said the sessions feel like relief from medication and mental strain; another said they help fight isolation and break the routine of treatment. Staff say the sessions are designed for people living with anxiety, depression, autism, schizophrenia and other conditions. The point is not to replace medical care, but to support confidence, self-esteem, communication and social interaction.
Why donkeys
The project was launched by nurse Ermelinda Hadey and her husband François Hadey, who learned to train the animals for therapy work. They chose donkeys because they are calm, social and attentive, and some were adopted from shelters after neglect or mistreatment. The program has since expanded to other animals, including guinea pigs, chickens, doves, goats, turtles and rabbits. Staff say more scientific evaluation is needed, and they want animal therapy to be formally recognized as a complementary form of care.
Key points
- A psychiatric hospital outside Paris runs a donkey therapy program for patients.
- Patients care for the animals through walking, grooming and other hands-on activities.
- Staff say the sessions can improve calm, confidence, communication and social interaction.
- The program has official healthcare status and is funded through France’s public health system.
- Organizers want more scientific evaluation and formal recognition of animal therapy.
