A therapy kangaroo who hopped into the hearts of retired servicemen at a home for veterans in Salt Lake City, Utah, is on his way to becoming a fully-fledged hero.

The 13kg red kangaroo, named Charlie, has given hope to the men and women of the William E. Christoffersen Salt Lake Veterans Home since March 2015.

“His job is just to love them,” Noralyn Kahn, an administrator at the home who owns Charlie, told ABC News .

“They can hold him and give him a bottle, or he will go and jump around and make everybody smile.”

He may not be able to talk, but Charlie’s presence has helped transform the lives of some residents who “sometimes seem like they are not there with us”, Ms Kahn said.

“It’s been proven that therapy animals lower blood pressure, and they lessen the need for a lot of anti-depressants because they uplift everybody.

“For those residents, who sometimes seem like they are not there with us, we can put an animal in their arms and it is just the most amazing thing.

Charlie will soon be honoured by the Red Cross. (Richard Woodruff)

“They just love Charlie,” she said.

The little kangaroo has also been praised for bringing families together in the home.

“Oftentimes the grandkids won't come in this building because of the way Grandpa acts, or because he has an oxygen machine or there are people they don't know," Ms Kahn said, "but they come and see Charlie and they are always so happy."