LIFE

Healing on four paws

A new Philippine initiative is exploring how trained therapy dogs can help support trauma survivors and the people who care for them, marking a first for Southeast Asia.

Pauline Songco · Nov 11, 2026, 3:22 AM

BRAVE Tails aims to strengthen trauma-informed care by harnessing the unique bond between people and trained therapy dogs. — Photograph courtesy of ROYAL CANIN FOUNDATION

For many people recovering from trauma, healing is a long and deeply personal journey. A new Philippine initiative hopes that journey can be made a little less daunting, with the help of therapy dogs.

Called Brave Tails, the program is designed to use structured animal-assisted services to support trauma survivors and frontline care providers through guided interactions with trained therapy dogs. Rather than serving as a replacement for professional mental health care, the initiative aims to complement existing support systems while creating safe, trauma-informed spaces for participants.

The program recently reached a milestone after receiving support from the Royal Canin Foundation, making it the first initiative from both the Philippines and Southeast Asia to receive a grant from the global organization.

Therapy dogs take on a meaningful role in Brave Tails, an initiative that promotes recovery, resilience and responsible animal-assisted services. — PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF UNSPLASH/RYAN STONE

Developed by the Philippine Human-Animal Bond Institute (PHABI) through its Communitails program, Brave Tails is built around trained Human Animal Teams — composed of therapy dogs and their human handlers — working together under carefully designed protocols that prioritize participant safety, informed consent and animal welfare.

“What we’re building through Brave Tails is not simply a series of interactions between people and dogs,” said PHABI co-founder Dr. Ginger Ramirez. “It’s a structured, trauma-informed approach designed around trained Human Animal Teams, participant safety, informed consent, and animal welfare.”

The initiative also works closely with The Paper Project Inc., an organization supporting communities affected by abuse, exploitation, and other forms of trauma. The collaboration aims to ensure the program responds to the real needs of survivors while maintaining ethical and responsible practices.

Beyond helping participants, Brave Tails also recognizes the emotional toll carried by counselors, social workers, and other frontline professionals, who often experience burnout or secondary trauma while caring for others.

Over the next two years, the program will focus on expanding its network of trained Human Animal Teams, strengthening local expertise in animal-assisted services, and documenting its learnings to help build a stronger foundation for similar initiatives in the country.

As conversations around mental health continue to grow in the Philippines, Brave Tails reflects another way communities are exploring recovery — one that highlights the unique connection between people and animals while ensuring the well-being of both remains at the heart of every interaction.