A growing number of psychotherapists are using therapy animals, especially in the treatment of children with emotional, social and even physical problems.

Among the pioneers is Aubrey H. Fine, a psychotherapist and professor at the California State Polytechnic University in Pomona, whose extensive success is documented in “The Handbook on Animal Assisted Therapy.” As Dr. Fine describes in one case, 5-year-old Diane recoiled in fright from strangers, and refused to speak to anyone but family. A trained therapy dog named Puppy eventually cured her selective mutism. Diane was happily petting Puppy when Dr. Fine gave the dog a signal to walk away. Diane was crestfallen. Dr. Fine told her that all she had to do to get the dog back was to say, “Puppy, come.” Softly, the child said, “Puppy, come, please come .”

He tells of another troubled child who finally began to speak about being physically abused when Dr. Fine told him that the misshapen therapy animal he was playing with had been rescued from an abusive home where it had been seriously injured. “Children are more likely to reveal inner thoughts to the therapist because the animal is right next to them and helps them express themselves,” Dr. Fine said .

Experts acknowledge that the field of animal-assisted therapy suffers from a lack of research that can establish guidelines for safety and effectiveness. For example, although using dolphins to treat autistic children has received considerable media attention, at least two studies found no evidence of benefit and considerable risk of harm to the animals and to the children, said James A. Griffin of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in Maryland. The International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations insists that members limit service and therapy animals to domestic species trained for the job. And the Delta Society, which provides training for the animals, will not certify wild or exotic animals .

To help give the field a firmer scientific footing, the Mars company, a leading producer of pet foods, initiated a research partnership with the national institute branch of which Dr. Griffin is deputy director. Among continuing studies: - The effects of therapeutic horseback riding on children with autism, which is less invasive than medications. - A large epidemiological study to document the overall health effects on children and adolescents living with dogs and cats. - A study to determine whether therapy animals can help children with behavior disturbances . - Studies to help select the most effective cats to work with autistic children. Dr. Griffin acknowledged the difficulty of designing a scientifically valid study because “it can’t be a blind study - you know if the patient has a therapy dog.” And he emphasized the challenges of working with therapy animals. “ The animal has to be very well trained, reliable, obedient and have the right temperament,” he said. “And the therapist has to know how to use it.” And, he added: ”Of course, animalassisted interventions have to be safe for everyone involved - the patient and the animal.”