Animal Assisted Therapy

The term "animal assisted therapy" is to bewill begin to talk to the visiting dog.
distinguished from the more familiar practice of "animalNow that pet therapy has become a proven and
assisted activities", which refers generally to petdocumented reality, institutions are beginning to
visitation at hospitals and residential care facilities.capitalize on this phenomenon with the "resident pet."
Animal Assisted Therapy is part of a formal andThis term refers to a cat or a dog that becomes a
carefully designed treatment program with specific andpermanent resident of a particular facility and is usually
measurable objectives that matches one animal togiven free run of the place.
one patient. Under the guidance of a trained medicalEach resident benefits from a proprietary interest in
professional, patients with severe mental and/orthe animal and looks forward to assisting in its care. In
physical disabilities are encouraged to interact with asome cases, a full course of therapy has been
"therapy dog" under the supervision of a trained dogdesigned around the care and feeding of a resident
handler.pet. The residents meet to discuss what must be done
The patient's interaction with the dog is increasedand develop their own charts and schedules to
gradually. Initially, the patient may merely observe theaccommodate the pet's needs. However, staff must
dog or touch it. As the patient becomes morebe constantly on the alert to avoid problems of
responsive and confident, activities may includejealousy and feuds over the pet's affections.
brushing, attaching collars and even walking the dog.The attributes and characteristics that comprise a
Progress records are maintained as milestones aregood visiting dog or therapy dog have more to do with
met and exceeded.temperament than training. Not to say that the dog will
Studies have shown that therapy pets motivatenot need training in basic obedience, but that is normally
people to participate in therapeutic interactions. Dogssufficient except in extraordinary situations.
are not judgmental, they don't hassle or pressure theirPatients and residents react to the dogs in a variety of
partner and they have endless patience. Further, simplyways. Some are effusive, some impulsive and others
because they are animals and require care, the patientare shy. Therefore, the dogs must be ready for
grooming them or walking them is made to feel useful.anything. It surely wouldn't do for a dog to lunge away
The benefits and expectations of animal assistedor growl if a patient makes a loud noise or reaches for
activities, or pet visits, vary according to the needs andthem abruptly. When selecting a dog for these
conditions of the patients being visited. Pet visits arepurposes you would not necessarily want an animal
less formal; they do not follow a particular treatmentthat is high strung or one that is too laid back to get up
plan or schedule and they are not usually set up on aand socialize.
one pet to one patient scenario.Numerous studies have documented the benefits of
Pet visits are common to hospitals, assisted livingpet therapy. Pets have been used in treating AIDS
homes and nursing homes. They are often nothingpatients, cancer patients, the elderly and the mentally ill.
more than a way to entertain people or to changeOne study determined that petting a dog can lower
their routine and brighten their day.blood pressure and another found that pets can
On the other hand, when visited by a pet some peoplereduce stress related illnesses.
who have basically shut themselves off from humanA study at City Hospital in New York noted that heart
interaction will begin to work their way back to reality.patients who owned pets lived longer than those
Apparently the pet stirs emotions in them that havewithout pets. Owning a pet was found to be more
been lying dormant. Examples have been given wheresignificant to long term survival than the presence of
patients who have not spoken a word in over a yeareven a spouse or friends.