What is pet therapy?
Pet therapy, also known as animal-assisted therapy, is a form of therapy that uses trained animals, such as dogs, cats, and horses, to increase a patient’s well-being, whether physical or psychological. Pet therapy is an interaction between a person and an animal, commonly conducted by a therapist or health professional.
Animal-assisted therapy has a long rich history with its roots being able to be traced back to the 1700s, when the Quaker York Retreat in England, the first recorded use of animals in a therapeutic setting in 1792, used rabbits and poultry. Although first used in 1792, the term ‘pet therapy’ wasn’t coined until 1964 by Boris Levinson, a child psychologist who had noticed that a typically nonverbal child during treatment began interacting with Levinson’s dog. By the 1970s, there was an awareness that companion animals could be used to elevate human, mental and physical problems.
The science behind it
The act of petting animals makes a person feel relaxed.
Human interaction with animals has evidenced that petting animals promotes the release of serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin – all hormones that can play a part in elevating moods.
Pet therapy reduces Cortisol, the stress hormone, while also stimulating brain regions such as the frontal cortex and the prefrontal brain, by providing enrichment and assisting rehabilitation.
What are the benefits of pet therapy?
Lorna Cowan from Pets as Therapy explained:
“Studies such as a trial in Italy have shown that interacting with a PAT Pet can improve a person’s mental health and overall well-being.”
Evidence from an American Hospital has shown pet therapy to be especially beneficial for people with high levels of stress and anxiety. Stroking animals and being close to animals have been shown to release endorphins (hormones produced by the brain that act as pain relievers), proving to have a positive effect on individuals. Pet therapy is also beneficial to people of many different age groups with results showing that animals have helped children to overcome emotional challenges and speech problems. There has additionally been evidence to show that pet therapy can decrease perceptions of pain, reduce feelings of fear or worry, increase feelings of social support and help to provide motivation, focus and stimulation.
Physical Health
Pet therapy can be beneficial to people suffering from mobility restrictions, offering a route to increased physical activity as it encourages people to exercise.
Lifting depression
For a lot of people, being near animals prompts their body to release hormones that help them to relax and alleviate stress. The release of these hormones can decrease feelings of depression and contribute to an increased sense of enjoyment.
Improved social skills
For some children with autism or other difficulties, animals can have a calming effect and offer a sense of trust.
Reduced Blood Pressure
Patients suffering from increased blood pressure are at a greater risk of developing heart diseases. However, spending time with a pet has been shown to decrease blood pressure levels, ultimately playing a part in lowering the risk of heart problems.
Lorna said:
“Stroking a dog or a cat has a calming effect. Your heart beats more slowly and as a result, your blood pressure drops, which in turn can decrease stress and reduce tension.”
What animals are involved?
Therapy animals are different from service animals which undertake jobs for a person with a disability. It is also not the same as an emotional support animal, which supplies companionship and support to a person with physical or mental health issues. Therapy animals are used to comfort individuals in a variety of places, such as schools, hospitals, and care facilities.
While dogs are the most used animals, cats, horses, rabbits, and other species can be used, provided they are well-trained and compatible with the services they provide to people in need. Therapy animals undergo training to ensure they can safely and positively interact with people. They may also undergo additional training depending on the purpose for which the therapist uses them.
However, some animals may not be a good fit; these include animals that are difficult to move when a scared client is around. For example, a large tortoise might be friendly, but it could be too heavy to move to a separate room. Animals who make a lot of noise are also seen as unfit to be a PAT pet: for example, dogs who bark for attention.
- Dogs – Dogs excel in pet therapy because of their ability to provide emotional support, reduce stress and improve social interaction.
- Cats – These feline friends can be a brilliant therapy animal due to their calmness and their ability to reduce anxiety.
- Horses – Horses are great in pet therapy due to their sensitivity to human emotions and their willingness to form bonds.
- Rabbits – Rabbits are excellent in pet therapy because of their calm and natural demeanour and soft fur which can provide comfort and decrease stress. They are trained to be calm. In their natural habitat, they move around a lot and interact with each other.
Where is pet therapy used?
Pet therapy is used in schools, hospitals, long-term care facilities and mental health clinics and has also been found in hospice centres and rehabilitation centres.
- Schools – Pet therapy is used in schools to address the needs of pupils, primarily focusing on their mental wellbeing.
Lorna Cowan said: “In schools, our PAT (Pet as Therapy) teams can help to raise pupils’ reading standards, boost children’s self-confidence, improve concentration levels and behaviour. The visits can have a positive impact on a child’s educational, social, and emotional welfare.”
She also said: “Our Read2Dogs scheme can help young people to improve their literacy skills and encourage confidence and concentration in the classroom.”
- Hospitals – Pet therapy is used in hospitals to prevent patient stress, anxiety, and depression, and to heighten the overall well-being of patients.
- Lorna Cowan said: “When a Pat Dog or PAT Cat visits a hospital ward, patients tell us that their stress levels are reduced and it’s a joy to interact with a pet, especially if they are missing their own pet back home.”
- Long-term care facilities – Pet therapy is used in long-term care facilities to help reduce stress, boost social interaction and enhance cognitive function.
- Mental health clinics – Pet therapy is used in clinics to supply emotional support alongside also improving social interaction.
- Hospice Centres – It is used here to improve the physical well-being of patients and their families as the animals help to ease the pain.
- Rehabilitation Centres – Animals provide comfort and companionship which can enhance patients’ mental and physical well-being.
- Care homes – Lorna Cowan details Pets as Therapy experiences in care homes, she stated: “Our Pat Pets visit residents in care homes where they provide comfort and companionship. People there may suffer from ill health and can sometimes experience loneliness, depression and anxiety-related conditions. Feeling isolated from family members and having a lack of motivation or sense of purpose, a friendly PAT visit is a chance for residents to chat and reminisce about past experiences or much-loved pets.”
Are there risks?
Some of the common risk factors that come with pet therapy include allergies, potential for infections, and possible animal-related injuries.
- Allergies – Many people are allergic to an animal’s saliva, dander or urine which can cause sneezing, itching and sometimes difficulty breathing.
- Infections – Some animals might carry bacteria and viruses that can be passed on to humans.
- Injuries – Bites and scratches can be a problem with animals, and those who have vulnerable or thin skin are especially at risk.
Lorna Cowan acknowledges:
“Not everyone wants to interact with a Pat Pet, and we respect people who would prefer not to have contact with our dogs and cats.”
She did, however, say that all their pets pass their temperament assessment, so they know they don’t jump up or paw delicate skin, and they don’t encourage their pets to lick anyone.
How to get involved
To get involved in pet therapy, people can volunteer with organisations such as Pets as Therapy or Therapy Dogs Nationwide, which match volunteers and their pets with organisations in need of their support. These establishments offer guidance, training, and support for volunteers and their pets.
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