A Fall 2019 DLab Case Study
People experiencing homelessness face many challenges, but One Stone learners found that man’s best friend can play a key role in helping lift spirits and bring hope.
The Pet Therapy Design Lab team partnered with New Path Community Housing. New Path is a local organization that utilizes a housing first model to provide 40 of Boise’s most vulnerable citizens who have experienced chronic homelessness with a stable living environment. Through interviewing residents, the team learned that many residents wish they were able to interact with animals more often, but are unable to have pets of their own due to the expense of pet ownership and rules in place at New Path.
The team’s How Might We question is: “How might we create a mutually beneficial atmosphere that will promote emotional wellness and healthy animal-to-resident interaction, knowing that animals can be difficult to attain, New Path has rules regarding animals on the premises, and New Path has limited space?” To solve this problem, the team partnered with Kathi Lee from the Alliance of Therapy Dogs and Kelly Nagl from the Idaho Humane Society.
To address the problem, the group brought in two therapy dogs to give residents on-the-spot pet therapy. They also provided educational handouts on dog behavior and a Q&A session with Kathi and Kelly. While prototyping their ideas at New Path, the team found that people were excited for the dogs to come in and wanted it to happen “every week.” This event is important, because it not only promotes healthy animal interaction, helps with stress, releases beneficial neurohormones, and promotes emotional wellness, but it also opens up the opportunity for residents to volunteer at the Idaho Humane Society.
Design Team: Declan B., Kaleb C., Ryan H., Kelsey J., Gerald L.
