The first and most common are "Therapeutic Visitation" dogs. These dogs are household pets whose owners take time to visit hospitals, nursing homes, detention facilities, and rehabilitation facilities. Visitation dogs help people who have to be away from home due to mental or physical illness or court order. These people miss their pets, and a visit from a visitation dog can brighten the day, lift spirits,
and help motivate them in their therapy or treatment with the goal of going home to see their own pets.