If you are fortunate to have a pet of your own you will have experienced the feelings of well-being and happiness that a good cuddle with your pet pooch or puss can create. It is a long acknowledged fact that interaction with animals can help to reduce stress levels and give people a sense of self worth and purpose. Animals accept you as you are no matter how we look and adore us unconditionally. For people who have difficult issues to deal with, be it a physical illness, a disfigurement or emotional trauma, Assisted Animal Therapy can be of huge benefit.
Animals can often bridge gaps where human interaction has failed. There is much scientific research to suggest that human interaction with animals can massively improve a person’s health both emotionally and physically. Put simply animals make us feel good and that helps us to heal.
Pet therapy has also been proven to encourage good social interaction increasing responsiveness, increasing mental alertness and helping people to have an enhanced outward focus towards their environment.
The therapeutic involvement of pets in treatment has been used in recent years with people suffering from chronic diseases such as AIDS and cancer, to help the elderly and the mentally ill. Whereas interaction with humans in these cases can often bring with it complications and intricacies, animals live in the moment and provide a constant, reliable source of comfort and joy to these vulnerable people.