By Dr. Narine Arutyounian, M.D., Medical Director
Clinical contribution by Ritsa Fistes, LMFT, Clinical Director
Healthy Living Residential Program, Santa Clarita, CA
There is a question our admissions team hears more often than almost any other, and it is usually asked quietly, almost apologetically, as if the person expects the answer to be no: “What about my dog?”
For a lot of people, that question is not a small logistical detail. It is the deciding factor. They have no one to care for their animal for 30 days, or the thought of leaving their companion behind during the hardest month of their life feels unbearable, so they keep putting treatment off. If that is you, I want you to hear the answer clearly: at Healthy Living, pets are welcome. Our 12-bed residential facility in Santa Clarita is one of the few detox and treatment programs in Southern California where you do not have to choose between getting help and staying with your animal.
In this article, I will explain why we made that choice, what the research actually says about the human-animal bond and recovery, and how bringing your pet to treatment works in practice.
The Barrier Nobody Talks About
When people list the reasons they delay treatment, the familiar ones come up first: work, family, cost, fear. But pet care is a real and underestimated barrier, and research backs this up. A study of people navigating crisis situations found that the human-animal bond is so significant that the prospect of separation from a pet causes genuine stress and anxiety, and can actually dissuade people from seeking help at all [1]. The same study found the flip side, too: for people going through a crisis, the companionship of an animal improved mental health, provided structure, and aided recovery afterward.
We have seen both halves of that finding play out in our facility for years. The person who almost did not come because of their dog. And then the same person, three weeks later, steadier and more open in therapy, with their dog asleep at their feet.
What the Science Says About Pets and Recovery
The comfort an animal provides is not just sentimental. It is physiological, and it is measurable.
Animals calm the stressed nervous system. According to the National Institutes of Health, interacting with animals has been shown to decrease cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone, and lower blood pressure, while also reducing loneliness and boosting mood [2]. Consider what that means in the context of detox, when the nervous system is at its most raw and over-activated. A familiar, affectionate animal is a built-in regulation tool that no medication fully replicates.
Animals improve engagement in treatment. This matters because motivation and engagement are consistent predictors of whether someone stays in treatment, and staying in treatment is one of the strongest predictors of recovery. A systematic review of animal-assisted therapy in substance use disorder treatment highlights exactly this: elevated stress and low engagement hinder outcomes, and the presence of animals in treatment settings is studied precisely because it addresses both [3]. In one comparison study of clients in a substance use treatment program, those whose treatment included animal-assisted therapy showed greater engagement than those without it [4].
Animals provide what early recovery lacks most. Early sobriety often strips away a person’s routines, social circle, and sense of purpose all at once. A pet quietly restores several of those things: a reason to get up, a being that needs you, unconditional affection with no judgment about your past. Ask anyone in recovery who has a dog or cat, and they will tell you the animal was part of the treatment team.
Why We Welcome Pets at Healthy Living
Most treatment facilities do not allow animals, and to be fair, most are not built for it. Large institutional programs with dozens of beds cannot realistically accommodate pets.
We can, because we are deliberately small. With only 12 beds in a home-like residential setting, we have the ability to consider each client’s situation individually, and that includes their animals. Welcoming pets fits everything else about our philosophy: we treat couples together rather than splitting them up, we allow technology access after day five so working clients do not have to abandon their careers, and we welcome pets so that no one has to abandon a companion to get well. The pattern is the same in every case: we would rather remove the barrier than lose the person to it.
There is also a clinical logic to it. Our program already integrates experiential therapy, mindfulness, and a full daily structure designed to regulate the nervous system and rebuild healthy routines. A client’s own pet, an animal they already trust and love, complements that work naturally.
| Leaving your pet behind | Bringing your pet to Healthy Living |
|---|---|
| Worry and guilt distract from treatment | Your companion is right there with you |
| Separation stress on top of withdrawal | A familiar, calming presence during the hardest days |
| Scrambling for 30 days of pet care | One less obstacle between you and treatment |
| Coming home to rebuild the bond | The bond never breaks |
How It Works in Practice
Because we are a small facility and every admission is personalized, pet arrangements are handled case by case. When you call, our admissions team will talk through your specific situation, your animal, their needs, and how they will fit into your stay, so that everything is arranged before you arrive. The conversation is simple and judgment-free, and it happens alongside the rest of our admissions process: verifying your PPO insurance, completing a confidential assessment, and planning your arrival, including what to bring for both of you.
From there, your treatment proceeds exactly as it would for any client: medically supervised detox with 24/7 physician-led care, followed by our 30-day residential program with individual therapy, group work, and treatment for any co-occurring conditions, with your companion by your side for the parts of the day where their presence supports your recovery.
Recovery Works Best When Nothing Is Left Behind
The research on addiction treatment is consistent and hopeful: with comprehensive care and continued engagement, recovery is an achievable outcome [5]. Our job is to remove every barrier standing between you and that outcome. For some people, the barrier is work. For some, it is a partner who also needs help. And for many more than you might expect, it is a pair of eyes waiting by the door at home.
You should not have to break the healthiest bond in your life to heal from the unhealthiest one. Bring them with you.
Why Choose Healthy Living Residential Program
Healthy Living Residential Program is a 12-bed co-ed residential detox and treatment facility in Santa Clarita, California, serving Los Angeles County, the San Fernando Valley, and all of Southern California. We are DHCS licensed and JCAHO accredited, owned and operated by board-certified physicians and staffed by licensed therapists, LMFTs, certified counselors, and credentialed recreational therapists.
We are one of the few residential programs in the region where couples can heal together and pets are welcome, because we believe treatment should fit your life, not dismantle it. We accept most PPO insurance plans, and our admissions team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer every question, including the one about your dog.
Call us today at (661) 536-5562, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Tell us about yourself, and tell us about your pet. We will take it from there.
Learn about our Residential Program →
Related reading: What to Bring to Rehab: A Complete Packing Checklist for Residential Treatment
Sources
[1] Ma GC, et al. (2023). The Role of Human-Animal Bonds for People Experiencing Crisis Situations. Animals (MDPI). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10000229/
[2] National Institutes of Health, NIH News in Health. The Power of Pets: Health Benefits of Human-Animal Interactions. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2018/02/power-pets
[3] Wesenberg S, et al. Animal-Assisted Therapy in the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Mixed Methods Review. Human-Animal Interaction Bulletin (CABI). https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/full/10.1079/hai.2017.0008
[4] Trujillo KC, Kuo GT, Hull ML, Ingram AE, Thurstone CC (2020). Engaging Adolescents: Animal Assisted Therapy for Adolescents with Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders. Journal of Child and Family Studies (Springer). https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10826-019-01590-7
[5] Office of the Surgeon General / SAMHSA (2016). Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK424859/
About the Author
Dr. Narine Arutyounian, M.D. is the Medical Director at Healthy Living Residential Program in Santa Clarita, California. She oversees the medical care of all clients in detox and residential treatment, including medically supervised withdrawal management and Medication-Assisted Treatment, and leads the physician-led team that provides 24/7 medical supervision at the facility.
Clinical contribution by Ritsa Fistes, LMFT, Clinical Director at Healthy Living Residential Program, who oversees the facility’s trauma-informed clinical programming and the personalized treatment planning that makes accommodations like pet-friendly stays possible.
