ACS PAWS: Pups Assisting With Support
Launched in 2023, the American Cancer Society Pups Assisting With Support (ACS PAWS) program is a national initiative to expand access to animal-assisted therapy (AAT) for children and teens with cancer. By integrating specially trained facility dogs into pediatric oncology settings, ACS PAWS aims to enhance the emotional and physical well-being of patients, their families, and health care teams.
Benefits of Animal-Assisted Therapy
Peer-reviewed research demonstrates that AAT provides significant benefits for pediatric oncology patients, including:
- Reduced pain perception and distress during procedures like blood draws and needlesticks
- Lowered stress, anxiety, and cortisol levels
- Improved energy levels and global functioning
- Increased acceptance of hospitalization and faster postsurgical ambulation
- More positive hospital memories and reduced isolation
For families, AAT helps decrease parenting stress and anxiety. For health care professionals, it helps improve mood, reduce stress, and foster a healthier workplace environment.
ACS PAWS Guide for Hospitals
The ACS PAWS Guide for Hospitals is a comprehensive resource designed to help health care facilities implement and expand facility dog programs in pediatric oncology settings. Developed by experts and informed by real-world experiences, the guide offers:
- Practical strategies for planning and operating programs
- Best practices for integrating facility dogs into patient care
- Tools for sustaining programs
- Examples from facility dog programs across the country
ACS PAWS Hospital Grant Program
ACS PAWS provides annual grants to hospitals that provide pediatric oncology care in the United States and U.S. territories to establish or maintain facility dog programs. In 2025, ACS PAWS will award grants to 35 hospitals nationwide. Grant applications open in February each year, and selected grantees are notified in May. Grant awards are announced each September.
In order to qualify, applicants must fit the following criteria:
- Be a children’s hospital or hospital with dedicated pediatric departments providing oncology services to children and teens
- Either have an existing facility dog from a credible service dog organization or anticipate receiving their first facility dog during the grant period (September-August). Volunteer pet therapy programs, where personal pets accompany their volunteer owners to visit a facility, are not eligible for consideration.
- Actively engage in providing visits to pediatric oncology patients and their families, either currently or with plans to do so throughout the grant period. These visits occur within hospital settings or outpatient oncology clinics.
- Must not be currently receiving ACS PAWS grant funds
Professional Education
The American Cancer Society Animal-Assisted Therapy in Cancer ECHO Program connects experts with professionals via Project ECHO, a virtual learning and telementoring framework. [MR1] Sessions focus on the therapeutic benefits of AAT and strategies for implementing facility dog programs and are targeted to certified child life specialists and other health care professionals.
All slides and recordings from the November 2024-April 2025 sessions are available through echo.cancer.org/program/animal-assisted-therapy-in-cancer-echo/.
Contact
Please contact ACSPAWS@cancer.org for more information about the ACS PAWS program.
