Donkey Therapy: A Unique Rehabilitation Method in a Paris Psychiatric Hospital
In the Ville-Evrard hospital complex in Neuilly-sur-Marne, a suburb of Paris, a group of donkeys is helping patients with mental health conditions recover in a setting unique to France. Patients walk the five donkeys and care for them, with some confidently lifting their hooves to remove dirt. Many end sessions with a hug.
Nathalie, a 60-year-old patient who spoke on condition of first-name-only anonymity, said the experience is similar to taking relaxant medication: “I’d call it animal medicine. It brings relief. You stop thinking about everything else.”
How It Works: Free Sessions with Professional Guidance
Patients attend the sessions free of charge as part of their treatment, funded by France’s public health system. Participants are usually paired with a donkey—Nono, Pitou, Oscar, Manolo or Malraux. Over time, they become familiar with each other’s personalities. Audrey Seffar, a nurse at the animal therapy unit, noted Nathalie’s significant progress after only a few sessions: “At first, she wouldn’t get out of the cart (provided for people with physical difficulties). But little by little, with encouragement, she did. The animal serves as a mediator... 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. It helps you break away from the routine of treatment and medication. Staying at home isn’t good for me.”
Donkeys: Described as 'Emotional Sponges'
The first donkeys arrived at Ville-Evrard hospital in 2016, part of a project launched by nurse Ermelinda Hadey and her husband François Hadey. Ermelinda, a psychiatry specialist, strongly believed in animal therapy and thought donkeys, known for their calm and social nature, would be perfect. François learned how to train donkeys for therapy work, and some were adopted from shelters after experiencing neglect or mistreatment.
“A donkey is very intelligent. It understands things very quickly, but you have to explain slowly,” François 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.” Since 2022, the program has had official status as a health care unit, employing three full-time nurses, with volunteers from a nonprofit group helping care for the animals.
Expansion to Other Animals Enhances Therapy
The program has expanded to include guinea pigs, chickens, doves, goats, turtles and rabbits. Sessions are tailored to individual needs, and smaller animals can be brought to hospital rooms. Alicia Fabi, an 18-year-old nursing student, noted that 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.” Walking together also helps patients and health workers develop deeper relationships.
Seeking Research to Advance Recognition
Health workers say the sessions are designed as therapeutic interventions for anxiety, depression, autism, schizophrenia or other conditions, helping improve emotional regulation, communication, social interaction and self-esteem. Ermelinda Hadey explained: “Everything we do with the animals allows us to work with the patient. 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 the mirror effect, we work on the patient’s hygiene as well.”
Many patients take intensive treatments, including antipsychotic medications or sedatives, which can make motivation difficult. The relationship with donkeys and other animals plays a key role. “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 hopes the therapy will 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 see the benefits every day. But doctors have so many other responsibilities that they don’t necessarily witness it firsthand.”