The Lort Smith Pet Therapy teams have more recently been invited to visit children in hospitals as studies around the world have proven that pets, especially dogs, can lessen a child’s anxiety and depression.

Since January 2023, Lort Smith has spent more than 650 hours with children at various health centres including the Royal Children’s Hospital, Monash Children’s Hospital and paediatric units at the Peter McCallum Cancer Centre, The Alfred and The Austin, and has experienced many magical moments where children were able to lose themselves in the company of a loving dog. The visits have provided a great deal of calm and comfort to some of the sickest children in Victoria.