Animal-assisted therapy

Animal-assisted therapy is a special kind of help that uses animals to support people’s feelings and thoughts. This type of therapy can make a person feel better socially, emotionally, or even help them think more clearly. Scientists have found that being with animals during therapy can help lower things like blood pressure and change hormone levels in good ways.

Different kinds of animals are used in this therapy, but dogs and horses are the most common. These therapies can help people who are dealing with hard feelings, like those who have experienced very difficult events, feelings of sadness, worry, or even memory problems. It can also help children who find it hard to connect with others.

Animal-assisted therapy is used in many places, such as hospitals, prisons, and nursing homes. It has been shown to lift people’s spirits and help them feel less alone, making their overall experience better.

Description

Animal-assisted therapy is a special kind of help that uses animals to make people feel better. This therapy can be used along with other treatments. It includes animals like emotional support animals or service animals that are trained to help with daily tasks.

The main idea is to help people improve how they feel socially, emotionally, or in thinking. Studies show that being with animals can make people feel calmer, less worried, and more comfortable, especially when they are in the hospital. This can help lower blood pressure and make medical visits easier. Animals can also make learning more fun and keep people more interested in what they are doing.

History

Animals have been shown to help improve people's health and mood, and they can even make life better for those who are sick or in difficult situations. Studies have found that being around animals can help lower blood pressure and change hormone levels in good ways. This positive effect is connected to the special bond between humans and animals.

Animals have been used to help people in many places, like prisons, nursing homes, and hospitals. Today, animals are often seen as friends who can help people feel relaxed and supported. One of the earliest known uses of animals to help people with mental health issues happened in the late 1700s at the York Retreat in England. Patients there were allowed to spend time around small pets, which helped them feel more social and calm. Later, in 1860, the Bethlem Hospital in England also brought animals in, which lifted the spirits of the patients. Even famous people like Florence Nightingale noticed how helpful pets could be for people who were sick.

The US military started using dogs to help psychiatric patients in 1919 at St Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington, DC. Famous psychologist Sigmund Freud kept many dogs and often had his dog Jofi during his therapy sessions. He found that children and teens felt more comfortable talking around the dog, which helped them relax. In 1961, Dr. Boris M. Levinson noticed how helpful his dog was when a child who couldn't talk started speaking to the dog.

Physiological effects

Edward O. Wilson suggested that humans feel safe and calm when they see animals resting or being peaceful. This feeling of safety can help people feel better and allow personal change and healing.

When people spend time with animals, especially for 15 minutes or more, it can help release chemicals in the brain that improve mood. Therapy with dogs can lower blood pressure and stress hormones, while increasing hormones that make people feel happy.

Medical uses

Animals can be part of therapy in places like prisons, nursing homes, mental health centers, and homes. The way they are used depends on what the person needs. For example, some dogs help people move around outside their homes.

There are many reasons why animals can help children and young people. Pets can offer comfort to those with mental health challenges, but more research is needed to understand exactly how this works.

Animals can help children during tough times, like when they are in the hospital. They can make children feel happier and less worried, especially during painful moments or scary tests. For example, animals can help calm children down during certain medical tests. However, it’s important to be careful because animals might carry germs, especially in hospitals where children have weaker immune systems. More research is needed to understand the risks and benefits fully.

Therapists can use animals to help children with behavior issues. They might watch how a child acts with an animal or talk gently with the child. Animals can also help children feel better and less lonely.

In nursing homes, animals can help older people stay active and engaged. Having animals around can make visits from therapists or friends feel friendlier and help everyone get along better.

Occupational therapists use animals to help children focus, make friends, feel good about themselves, and feel less alone.

Types

Different kinds of animals are used in animal-assisted therapy. Before being used, each animal is carefully checked to make sure it is the right size, age, and behavior, and that it has the proper training. The most common animals used are dogs and horses. There has also been research on using dolphins in therapy.

Canine-assisted therapy

Main article: Therapy dog

In canine-assisted therapy, therapy dogs help patients by interacting with them. This can improve patients' physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Therapy dogs are trained to be calm and friendly, which helps patients feel more relaxed and comfortable. They can help patients improve their movement skills and build trust with others. This type of therapy is often used along with other treatments for conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, and dementia.

Canine-assisted therapy can also be used in classrooms to help children develop writing and life skills, and to encourage group activities. Special programs use dogs to help children who need extra support in reading, making the experience more enjoyable and meaningful.

Dolphin therapy

Main article: Swimming with dolphins

Dolphin-assisted therapy involves swimming with dolphins as a form of therapy. However, many experts believe this type of therapy does not have lasting benefits and may not be effective for treating any condition. There are also concerns about the safety of both people and dolphins in these programs.

Equine-related therapy

Main article: Equine-assisted therapy

Equine-assisted therapy uses activities with horses and other equines to support people’s health. Therapeutic riding helps people with disabilities by improving muscle tone, coordination, and confidence. Another form, called equine-assisted psychotherapy, uses time with horses to help with emotional and mental health issues, though more research is needed to support its effectiveness.

Pig therapy

Pigs are also used in animal-assisted therapy in places like airports, hospitals, nursing homes, and schools. They can provide emotional support for people with conditions such as autism, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Some well-known miniature pigs named Thunder and Bolt have been trained to help in nursing homes, schools, and hospitals.

Therapy with other animals

See also: Therapy cat

Llamas are sometimes used in therapy as well. For patients who are allergic to furry animals, snakes can provide emotional support.

Effectiveness

Animal-assisted therapy can help people with many different challenges, such as psychological disorders, developmental disorders, dementia, chronic pain, and advanced heart failure. It is often used to support those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and major depressive disorder.

Recent studies show that spending time with therapy animals can bring social, psychological, and health benefits. While there is still much to learn about how animals help in the healing process, many believe this therapy can be useful for conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and dementia. Research also shows that interactions with therapy dogs can lower anxiety and stress, especially for people who feel very stressed already. This support can be helpful for students and healthcare workers, too. More studies are needed, but early results suggest animal-assisted therapy may be a good way to help reduce stress and support emotional health.

Populations and settings

Children and adolescents in inpatient settings

Research shows that animal-assisted therapy can help children and teens in hospitals. When kids spend time with therapy dogs, they often feel happier, less worried, and more willing to join in therapy activities. This can make treatment easier and more enjoyable for them.

Studies with children who have brain injuries show that therapy dogs are welcome in hospitals. Kids, their families, and doctors all like having dogs around. The dogs don’t get in the way of treatment, and they help kids feel more excited and motivated during their therapy.

Oncology and palliative care

Animal-assisted therapy is also used to help patients with cancer or serious illnesses. Spending time with therapy animals can make patients feel less anxious and lonely. It can also bring comfort and help them connect with family and friends.

Some studies show that therapy animals can even help reduce pain and stress, like lowering blood pressure, which can make medical treatments feel easier.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Kids with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can benefit from animal-assisted therapy. When these kids spend time with therapy dogs along with other treatments, they often show fewer behavior problems and better social skills. However, the help from dogs doesn’t last forever.

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a condition that affects people’s mental health after scary or painful events. Animals, especially dogs and horses, can help people with PTSD feel calmer and less anxious. They can also encourage more social activities and help people feel less lonely.

Dogs are often used because they are easy to care for and understand people well. They can help veterans and others with PTSD feel safer and more relaxed. Horses are also used in therapy and can help people build trust and improve communication.

Autism spectrum disorder

Animal-assisted therapy might help kids with autism spectrum disorder feel less aggressive, irritable, or hyper. Spending time with therapy animals, like dogs or horses, can make these kids feel calmer and happier. Animals can also help them connect better with people around them.

Dementia

Animal-assisted therapy can help people with dementia by giving them a chance to talk and remember things while spending time with animals. Studies show that therapy dogs can improve mood, help with social interactions, and reduce sadness in people with dementia. This kind of therapy can make life a little easier and more enjoyable for older adults with memory problems.

Proposed mechanisms

Animal-assisted therapy may help people by giving emotional support and lowering stress. Studies show that spending time with therapy dogs can make students feel less stressed and worried. This calm feeling can help people take part in therapy more easily.

Therapy with horses has also helped people with autism better control their emotions and talk with others. These findings show that spending time with animals can improve how people connect and feel, making therapy sessions more comfortable and meaningful.

Limitations

Animal-assisted therapy might not always be the best choice for everyone, especially for adults who have gone through very difficult experiences. While animals can offer comfort, they might not be the main reason therapy helps.

There are also some concerns when using animals to help children who have faced hard times. For example, if a child meets an animal that isn’t their own pet, they might feel uncomfortable or scared. It’s important to ask children if they are okay with animals before using them in therapy. Also, children can form a special bond with the animal during therapy. If the animal isn’t theirs, the child might feel sad when therapy ends and the animal goes away.

Some people worry that relying too much on an animal might make it harder for someone to feel confident doing things on their own. There are also concerns about dolphin-assisted therapy, as it can be unsafe for both people and dolphins. Taking dolphins from their natural homes can harm them, and this type of therapy may not have lasting benefits.

Ethical concerns

Animal-assisted therapy can be helpful, but it also brings up important questions about safety and care. Because there are no clear rules for using animals in therapy, animals might feel stressed, get sick, or even get hurt. Some reports show that patients or staff might not treat therapy animals properly, teasing or mistreating them.

It is also important to think carefully before bringing animals around people who may be violent or have special needs that could make the animal uncomfortable. For horses used in therapy, more study is needed to understand when they feel stressed so that sessions can be kept safe. Therapy animals need proper rest, food, water, and a comfortable environment.

Some people worry that animals are sometimes treated like tools rather than living beings. This includes breeding animals just for looks or training them too hard, which can be hard on their health. It is important to balance the good that animal-assisted therapy can do with making sure animals are treated with care and respect.