| The term "animal assisted therapy" is to be | | | | year will begin to talk to the visiting dog. |
| distinguished from the more familiar practice | | | | |
| of "animal assisted activities", which refers | | | | Now that pet therapy has become a proven and |
| generally to pet visitation at hospitals and | | | | documented reality, institutions are |
| residential care facilities. | | | | beginning to capitalize on this phenomenon |
| | | | with the "resident pet." This term refers to |
| Animal Assisted Therapy is part of a formal | | | | a cat or a dog that becomes a permanent |
| and carefully designed treatment program with | | | | resident of a particular facility and is |
| specific and measurable objectives that | | | | usually given free run of the place. |
| matches one animal to one patient. Under the | | | | |
| guidance of a trained medical professional, | | | | Each resident benefits from a proprietary |
| patients with severe mental and/or physical | | | | interest in the animal and looks forward to |
| disabilities are encouraged to interact with | | | | assisting in its care. In some cases, a full |
| a "therapy dog" under the supervision of a | | | | course of therapy has been designed around |
| trained dog handler. | | | | the care and feeding of a resident pet. The |
| | | | residents meet to discuss what must be done |
| The patient's interaction with the dog is | | | | and develop their own charts and schedules to |
| increased gradually. Initially, the patient | | | | accommodate the pet's needs. However, staff |
| may merely observe the dog or touch it. As | | | | must be constantly on the alert to avoid |
| the patient becomes more responsive and | | | | problems of jealousy and feuds over the pet's |
| confident, activities may include brushing, | | | | affections. |
| attaching collars and even walking the dog. | | | | |
| Progress records are maintained as milestones | | | | The attributes and characteristics that |
| are met and exceeded. | | | | comprise a good visiting dog or therapy dog |
| | | | have more to do with temperament than |
| Studies have shown that therapy pets motivate | | | | training. Not to say that the dog will not |
| people to participate in therapeutic | | | | need training in basic obedience, but that is |
| interactions. Dogs are not judgmental, they | | | | normally sufficient except in extraordinary |
| don't hassle or pressure their partner and | | | | situations. |
| they have endless patience. Further, simply | | | | |
| because they are animals and require care, | | | | Patients and residents react to the dogs in a |
| the patient grooming them or walking them is | | | | variety of ways. Some are effusive, some |
| made to feel useful. | | | | impulsive and others are shy. Therefore, the |
| | | | dogs must be ready for anything. It surely |
| The benefits and expectations of animal | | | | wouldn't do for a dog to lunge away or growl |
| assisted activities, or pet visits, vary | | | | if a patient makes a loud noise or reaches |
| according to the needs and conditions of the | | | | for them abruptly. When selecting a dog for |
| patients being visited. Pet visits are less | | | | these purposes you would not necessarily want |
| formal; they do not follow a particular | | | | an animal that is high strung or one that is |
| treatment plan or schedule and they are not | | | | too laid back to get up and socialize. |
| usually set up on a one pet to one patient | | | | |
| scenario. | | | | Numerous studies have documented the benefits |
| | | | of pet therapy. Pets have been used in |
| Pet visits are common to hospitals, assisted | | | | treating AIDS patients, cancer patients, the |
| living homes and nursing homes. They are | | | | elderly and the mentally ill. One study |
| often nothing more than a way to entertain | | | | determined that petting a dog can lower blood |
| people or to change their routine and | | | | pressure and another found that pets can |
| brighten their day. | | | | reduce stress related illnesses. |
| | | | |
| On the other hand, when visited by a pet some | | | | A study at City Hospital in New York noted |
| people who have basically shut themselves off | | | | that heart patients who owned pets lived |
| from human interaction will begin to work | | | | longer than those without pets. Owning a pet |
| their way back to reality. Apparently the pet | | | | was found to be more significant to long term |
| stirs emotions in them that have been lying | | | | survival than the presence of even a spouse |
| dormant. Examples have been given where | | | | or friends. |
| patients who have not spoken a word in over a | | | | |