Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who have been outspoken about their mental health struggles, rely on their four-legged friends for support. During a video conference with the winners of the WellChild Award on World Mental Health Day, the Duke of Sussex discussed how the couple’s three adopted “emotional support dogs” help them cope during difficult times.
“I’ll tell you what, we all need a dog that keeps us calm,” Harry said to 13-year-old Isabelle Delaney, one of the award recipients, according to Newsweek. Isabelle’s Labradoodle Hope, a service dog in training, had joined her on screen. Isabelle’s family said Hope helps Isabelle stay calm in potentially overwhelming environments.
Harry has supported WellChild, an organization celebrating the stories and achievements of very sick children and their families, since 2007. Typically, the award ceremony is held in person, but it was canceled this year due to Queen Elizabeth II’s death.
About the Royal Family’s Pets
Meghan and Harry and their two children, Archie, 3, and daughter Lilibet, 1, have a black Labrador, Pula, and two rescue Beagles, Guy and Mia.
When they’re not chasing squirrels and causing mischief, Harry said the three pups “100%” provide the family with emotional support.
Meghan adopted Guy before meeting her husband, and the couple brought Pula into the fold in 2018. They then adopted Mia, short for Mamma Mia, in August from the Beagle Freedom Project in Los Angeles. The organization rescues Beagles bred for animal testing.
Shannon Keith, the non-profit’s founder, said Meghan specifically requested an older dog, not a “Christmas puppy,” according to Newsweek. Often, older dogs have a more difficult time finding homes.
How Pets Help With Mental Health
Numerous studies have shown that animals can have myriad positive effects on human well-being, including mental health. Pet parents are typically less susceptible to depression, chronic stress, and loneliness than people without pets. And having an emotional support or therapy dog can provide numerous benefits for people with emotional and cognitive challenges, including depression, anxiety, and autism. Even interacting with pets can instantly boost dopamine levels and decrease stress.
Emotional support dogs differ from service dogs because they are pets, not working animals. Mental health professionals can prescribe emotional support animals for numerous serious illnesses.
