2025 Magic Award Winner: Cheryl Smith-Miller Advances Therapy Animal Research
03/04/2026
2025 Pet Partners Magic Award Honors Cheryl A. Smith-Miller, PhD, RN-BC
“Animal-assisted intervention is not just about having animals in the hospital. It is a real, evidence-based way to support nurses and care teams.”
That belief guides the work of Cheryl A. Smith-Miller, PhD, RN-BC, the 2025 recipient of the Pet Partners Magic Award. Cheryl is a nurse scientist, researcher, and therapy animal advocate. Through her work, she is helping healthcare leaders understand how therapy animals can support nurses, reduce stress, and strengthen workplace well-being.
Her story shows how the human-animal bond can change both personal lives and professional practice.
From Buddy to Research Leadership
Cheryl’s journey into animal-assisted interventions began with her dog, Buddy, a golden retriever and German shepherd mix, who loved meeting people and enjoyed training and socializing. Cheryl and Buddy started training when he was just 10 weeks old and ultimately completed a Pet Partners registration.
A powerful moment in Cheryl’s journey came when her mother was hospitalized far from home. Her mother missed her own dog deeply. Watching that loss confirmed something for Cheryl: the human-animal bond brings comfort, especially during hard times.
Instead of stopping with personal experience, Cheryl chose to ask a bigger question: How can we measure the impact of therapy animals in healthcare?
Studying Therapy Animals in Healthcare Settings
Cheryl is a nurse scientist at an academic medical center. She studies how animal-assisted interventions affect nurse well-being.
Healthcare workers face high stress. Nurses carry emotional and mental loads every day. Cheryl’s research looks at how therapy animals can support them.
Her studies examine how animal-assisted interventions influence:
- Stress levels
- Emotional recovery
- Mood
- Sense of welcomeness
- Workplace culture
Cheryl has completed two research studies approved by the Institutional Review Board. She will present her findings at the 2026 Southern Nursing Research Society conference, reaching more than 500 nurse scientists and graduate students.
Cheryl wants healthcare leaders to see therapy animals as more than a feel-good visit. She explains that AAI should be “woven into the culture, rather than offered only as a nice to have.”
Her research shows that therapy animals can reduce stress through calm presence, help staff feel grounded and safe, support resilience after difficult shifts, and strengthen teamwork and unit culture.
When hospitals invest in structured animal-assisted interventions, they show staff that emotional health matters. Cheryl wants nurses to feel empowered to advocate for programs that care for their well-being with the same commitment they give to patients.
Her work brings research, leadership, and compassion together. It reflects the true power of the human-animal bond.
What is the Pet Partners Magic Award?
Since 2017, Pet Partners has offered the Magic Award, a scholarship funded by Dr. Aubrey Fine and named in memory of his therapy dog, Magic. The award supports personal and professional development in the field of animal-assisted interventions. It’s available to registered Pet Partners volunteers—or professional members of our sister organization, the Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals (AAAIP)—who want to grow their skills and strengthen the human-animal bond through their work.
The Magic Award reflects Pet Partners’ commitment to leadership, learning, and high standards in therapy animal programs that improve human health and well-being.
How the Magic Award Supports Cheryl’s Vision
Receiving the Magic Award affirms Cheryl’s work as both innovative and necessary.
“Receiving the Magic Award is an incredible honor,” she shared. It validates “research-driven approaches to workforce wellness” and supports expanding her studies on therapy animals and nurse well-being.
The scholarship will help Cheryl share her research through presentations, networking, and professional collaboration.
Her long-term vision is bold. She wants animal-assisted interventions to move from the margins to the mainstream of nursing science. Cheryl wants therapy animals to be part of structured programs that improve retention, resilience, and the culture of care in healthcare systems.
Through her leadership, the impact of therapy animals becomes measurable, credible, and sustainable.
Centered on the Human-Animal Bond
Cheryl’s story began with Buddy. It grew through research. And now it could influence healthcare leaders across the country.
Her work shows that therapy animals are not only comforting. They are powerful partners in improving mental health, workplace well-being, and organizational culture.
By combining research with compassion, Cheryl is advancing animal-assisted interventions in a way that honors both people and animals.
Pet Partners is proud to celebrate Cheryl A. Smith-Miller as the 2025 Magic Award recipient.
Be Part of the Next Chapter
Cheryl’s story is one example of what’s possible when we invest in the human-animal bond.
If you believe in the power of therapy animals to improve lives:
- Explore professional development and join AAAIP.
Together, we can continue improving human health and workplace well-being through the power of therapy animals and the human-animal bond.
