| Pet therapy is an area that has received increased | | | | For people who enjoy animals, pet therapy offers |
| attention in therapeutic recreation. In recent years, | | | | some solid benefits: better health, more relaxed |
| the experts have been relying on pet therapy as a | | | | mood, enhanced connection to the world, improved |
| valuable aid in reaching out to the elderly, the infirm, | | | | communication, and the needed chance to play and |
| and to ill or abused children through-out the country. | | | | create. Under direction of health services and |
| Pet Therapy is the commonly used term for | | | | education professionals, animal-assisted therapy can |
| animal-assisted therapy (AAT), animal-assisted | | | | promote physical movement, emotional well being, |
| activities (AAA) and pet visitation. It is also | | | | cognitive awareness and social improvement for |
| recognized at hospitals around the country as a great | | | | people with disabilities. In a health care facility, people |
| way to help children cope with the stress and | | | | come out of their rooms to socialize with the animals |
| anxiety associated with hospitalization. Pet Therapy is | | | | and with each other. |
| a general term that encompasses many therapeutic | | | | Each dog must undergo extensive training before |
| activities involving animals as companions or occasional | | | | they can interact with patients. In order to participate |
| visitors to the sick, elderly, or mentally ill. | | | | in a pet therapy program, volunteers generally need |
| Pet therapy is now being used to help with a wide | | | | to undergo training and testing. You can help prepare |
| range of medical and emotional ailments. Sometimes | | | | your dog by ensuring good healthy socialization, |
| just one treatment can and does work in alleviating | | | | positive exposure to a variety of people, other |
| many symptoms. Pet therapy also promotes | | | | animals, environmental factors and situations. If you |
| socialization, improves self-esteem and security, and | | | | own a calm, friendly animal that would make a good |
| provides entertainment and acceptance. The | | | | pet companion and would like to check into |
| visitations provide a warm and comforting presence, | | | | volunteering, you can search the Internet for |
| patient listeners, and a relaxing interlude to residents | | | | organizations that seek volunteers or contact a |
| of health care facilities. The pet therapy program was | | | | university's school of veterinary medicine for |
| initiated at Wishard Health Services in November | | | | information. |
| 2002 and is now is a recognized method of | | | | Finally, although pet therapy has been shown to be |
| treatment the world over, more so in developed | | | | effective for many people, it is important to |
| countries and continues to grow by leaps and bounds. | | | | remember that not everyone enjoys the presence |
| Pet therapy is one of the most rewarding volunteer | | | | of animals. Like any other type of therapeutic |
| activities a dog and handler can be involved with and | | | | intervention, pet therapy should take the patient's |
| is becoming a popular and important role for many | | | | likes and dislikes into account. Overall, participating in |
| animals, especially dogs. Visits can have a positive | | | | any type of Pet therapy program can be a very |
| effect on a resident or patient's physical health, as | | | | rewarding experience for everyone involved. To find |
| well as on his or her emotional health by reducing | | | | pet therapy near you, look for a program with clear, |
| loneliness and creating a sense of purpose. For the | | | | therapeutic goals for its participants and also have |
| lonely residents of nursing homes, mental health | | | | Infection control guidelines that ensure patient safety. |
| facilities, rehabilitation centers, and homes for the | | | | Also, be sure to get approval from your Dr. before |
| handicapped, holding a warm puppy or playful kitten | | | | starting any visits. |
| provides the unconditional love they need so much. | | | | |