NEUILLY-SUR-MARNE, France — Mental health patients at a psychiatric facility outside Paris are finding healing through an innovative program featuring therapy donkeys in what appears to be a first-of-its-kind initiative in France.
The therapeutic sessions take place within historic 19th century farm structures surrounded by trees at the Ville-Evrard hospital complex in Neuilly-sur-Marne. During a recent Friday session, patients walked alongside five donkeys and provided care for the animals. Several participants confidently lifted the animals’ hooves to clean away debris, with many concluding their time with embraces.
“When you take medication that helps you relax … it’s exactly the same,” said Nathalie, a 60-year-old patient. She and others were identified by their first names only to protect their privacy.
“I’d call it animal medicine,” she said. “It brings relief. You stop thinking about everything else.”
The therapeutic sessions are provided at no cost to patients as part of their care, with funding coming from France’s public health system.
Each participant typically works with one of the donkeys — Nono, Pitou, Oscar, Manolo or Malraux. Through repeated interactions, both patients and animals develop familiarity with one another’s temperaments.
Audrey Seffar, a nurse at the animal therapy unit, said Nathalie’s improvement after just a few sessions was remarkable.
“At first, she wouldn’t get out of the cart (provided for people with physical difficulties). But little by little, with encouragement, she did,” Seffar said. “The animal serves as a mediator. It’s such an extraordinary one that today she was able to leave the cart and stand beside her donkey.”
Another patient, Jérôme, 52, said the program helps reduce loneliness.
“Talking with people, taking part in activities I wouldn’t normally do, it helps me in my daily life,” he said.
He added: “It helps you break away from the routine of treatment and medication. Staying at home isn’t good for me.”
The donkeys first came to Ville-Evrard hospital in 2016 through an initiative started by Ermelinda and François Hadey.
Ermelinda, a nurse specializing in psychiatry, strongly believed in animal therapy benefits and thought donkeys, known for their calm and social nature, would be perfect. Her husband learned how to train donkeys for therapy work. Some of the animals were adopted through shelters after experiencing neglect or mistreatment.
“A donkey is very intelligent. It understands things very quickly, but you have to explain slowly,” François Hadey said. “Donkeys are calm, serene animals that are generally close to people. Once they’re involved in these interactions, they connect very well with patients. They’re emotional sponges.”
Beginning in 2022, the animal therapy program received formal recognition as a health care unit within the hospital, enabling the hiring of three full-time nurses. Volunteers from a nonprofit organization assist with animal care.
The initiative has grown to encompass guinea pigs, chickens, doves, goats, turtles and rabbits. Activities are customized based on individual needs and interests, with smaller animals able to visit patient rooms.
Alicia Fabi, an 18-year-old nursing student, said the activity gives patients a chance to leave the hospital environment.
“Every time we come back from the activity, they say they feel good, calm and relaxed, and that they enjoyed the outing. That’s really positive,” she said.
Walking together also allows patients and health workers to develop a deeper relationship.
“We talk about many different things, their illness, their lives and just about everything else. We don’t focus only on the illness because we don’t want them dwelling on it all the time,” Fabi said.
Medical staff describe the sessions as therapeutic interventions for managing anxiety, depression, autism, schizophrenia or other conditions. Personnel report the activities can enhance emotional regulation, communication, social interaction and self-esteem.
“Everything we do with the animals allows us to work with the patient,” Ermelinda Hadey said. “We work on feeding the animal, which helps us address the patient’s own eating habits. We work on the animal’s hygiene, and by mirror effect, we work on the patient’s hygiene as well.”
Many patients receive intensive treatments, including antipsychotic medications or sedatives, which can make it difficult to find the motivation to participate in activities, she said. That’s where the relationship to donkeys and other animals play a role, she stressed.
“It does not replace a doctor or a medical prescription, but it can help patients regain confidence and a sense of self-worth,” Hadey said.
She said more scientific evaluation is needed. They would like animal therapy to be formally recognized by the psychiatric community as a complementary form of care.
“To do that, we need research. We have plenty of accounts from patients … Caregivers who accompany them see the benefits every day as well. But doctors have so many other responsibilities that they don’t necessarily witness it firsthand,” she said.
As Friday’s session concluded with patients continuing their conversations, a nurse captured the program’s essence: “Donkeys are my best colleagues.”
