Therapy donkeys aid mental health patients at Paris psychiatric hospital

At a psychiatric hospital on the outskirts of Paris, therapy donkeys are playing an unusual but structured role in helping patients manage mental health conditions, as part of France’s public healthcare system.

At the Ville-Evrard hospital complex in Neuilly-sur-Marne, 19th-century farm buildings and wooded surroundings provide a calm setting for animal-assisted therapy sessions.

On Friday, patients walked five donkeys, groomed them and cared for them, with some cleaning hooves and others ending the session with hugs, AP reported.

“When you take medication that helps you relax ... it's exactly the same,” said Nathalie, a 60-year-old patient. “I'd call it animal medicine. It brings relief. You stop thinking about everything else.”

Patients attend the sessions free of charge as part of treatment funded by the public health system.

They are typically paired with donkeys — Nono, Pitou, Oscar, Manolo or Malraux — and gradually learn each animal’s behaviour.

Audrey Seffar, a nurse at the unit, said the programme has shown visible progress in some patients.

“At first, she wouldn't get out of the cart (provided for people with physical difficulties). But little by little, with encouragement, she did,” she said. “The animal serves as a mediator.”

Another patient, Jerome, 52, said the sessions help reduce isolation. “Talking with people, taking part in activities I wouldn't normally do, it helps me in my daily life,” he said.

The animal therapy unit, launched in 2016, was formally recognised as a healthcare service in 2022 and now includes nurses and volunteers.

It has expanded beyond donkeys to include guinea pigs, chickens, goats, turtles and rabbits.

Staff say the approach supports patients with anxiety, depression, autism and schizophrenia by improving emotional regulation and social interaction.

“Donkeys are my best colleagues,” a nurse said at the end of a session.