What Is Pet Therapy Used For?

Nothing melts stress after a tough day at work or school like coming home to spend time with your pet. Every pet parent knows that dogs and cats help us feel better and give us the emotional support we need to tackle anything life throws at us.
Over the past few decades, there’s been a growing body of research studies showing that pet therapy can offer unexpectedly powerful, science-backed physical, mental, and emotional benefits for people of all ages.

What Is Pet Therapy?

Pet therapy is the use of trained animals in settings like hospitals, schools, universities, and nursing homes to offer companionship, learning opportunities, and stress relief to patients, students, and residents.
Pet therapy can be formal, with the use of animal assisted therapy to help individuals as part of a structured treatment plan, or it can be informal, for example, group sessions to offer anyone at a facility to interact with visiting pets.

• Pet therapy can help kids learn to read. Programs in which children read to dogs and other therapy animals have been shown to be highly successful in increasing fluency and confidence in kids learning to read. Evidence suggests that kids feel more motivated when given an opportunity to read to a furry listener. Dogs and cats do not interrupt or pass judgment, and can help create a positive experience for young readers who feel anxious when reading aloud.
• Pets have an immediate effect on blood pressure. Studies comparing pet owners to non-pet-owners have shown that those with cats and dogs have better heart health, possibly as a result of increased exercise from playing or walking a pet. However, evidence also suggests that fifteen minutes of petting or even just being in the presence of an animal can reduce blood pressure, cortisol levels, and other markers of stress in humans.
• Pets can help seniors living with Alzheimer’s disease. Residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities experience numerous benefits from frequent visits with therapy animals. Those with Alzheimer’s disease show improved symptoms, most notably less agitation, depression, and frustration associated with dementia.
• Animals help college students adjust to campus life. Pet therapy sessions at colleges and universities can help students experiencing anxiety, giving homesick students a sense of belonging and social support, and also has positive effects on motivation, focus, and sleep.
• Pet therapy can help people connect with their fellow humans. Spending time around animals can help break the ice and foster bonding between people in a facility, as well as aid human socialization on an even deeper level. In school settings, pets help develop a sense of empathy and self-esteem. Studies also suggest that animal-assisted therapy can help children with autism spectrum disorders improve their communication and social skills, and also help alleviate symptoms like anxiety, loneliness and stress.

Getting Started With Pet Therapy

If your dog, cat, or other pet loves meeting new people and adapts easily to unfamiliar environments, they might be a good candidate for volunteer therapy work. You can find a local therapy pet program through an organization like PAWS for People or Pet Partners. If your pet can pass the organization’s training and behavior requirements, you can start joining group visits as a therapy team with your pet.

VISION

Every pet deserves to live a long, happy, healthy life.