What is Pet Therapy?
At the majority of our visits we provide “animal assisted activities” to abused and at-risk Valley children. Animal assisted activities are goal-related activities that improve the quality of the child’s life through the use of the human-animal bond. We use the term Pet Therapy, because the general population more easily recognizes it to mean animals visiting with human clients. Animal assisted therapy, on the other hand, is used as part of a treatment process for a client. In animal assisted therapy, the certified team would work with and under the direction of therapists who set therapeutic goals and evaluate the process.
Pet Therapy is the commonly used term for animal-assisted therapy (AAT), animal-assisted activities (AAA) and pet visitation. The Pet Therapy Society of Northern Alberta describes pet therapy as an organized program that encourages therapeutic and mutually beneficial interaction between companion animals and people.
The natural connection between humans and animals has seemingly existed for centuries and beyond. We look to our animals for joy, comfort and companionship. What is not widely understood is the real benefit of having pets in our lives. Interaction with animals is clinically proven to lower blood pressure, relieve stress and ease depression. Pet therapy was developed as a real form of therapy to improve the lives of humans. It comes in many forms and its benefits widely accepted and praised. The Capital Area Humane Society provides pet therapy to our community through its volunteer force. Teams of volunteers and their certified animal partners visit classrooms, hospitals, nursing homes and mental heath facilities bringing the healing touch of animals to humans in need. We are always looking to grow our volunteer force. If you are interested in getting involved in pet therapy please contact Gigi Somers, Volunteer Pet Therapy Coordinator.
Children and adults in health care and special education facilities visited by our pet therapy pairs enjoy a positive impact on their quality of life. For some, pet therapy visits are their only contact with the outside world. The pairs often become part of the “family” and eagerly look forward to making their next visit. In turn, the patients and residents delight in the cuddles, love and friendship these visits bring. The opportunity to receive the unconditional love and acceptance of the animals provides medical and emotional benefits such as lower blood pressure, stress relief, decreased feelings of loneliness and depression, and increased responsiveness. An anecdote from one of our many partner organizations: On a recent visit to a nursing home, a son sat quietly with his elderly father. A Bideawee Pet Therapy volunteer brought over Goldie, a beautiful golden retriever. The dog licked the old man’s face and wagged his tail wildly. The man turned to his son and said, “Dave, I’ve al
Research shows that visiting with a pet can reduce stress symptoms, lower blood pressure temporarily, increase sensory stimulation, and even lengthen a person’s life expectancy. Pet therapy is a general term that encompasses many therapeutic activities involving animals as companions or occasional visitors to the sick, elderly, or mentally ill. Because animals provide unconditional acceptance, pet therapy can be comforting and can also distract the sick or the aged from their illnesses or problems. In areas that are often sterile and lonely, such as hospitals or nursing homes, a pet therapy program can bring screened animals and human volunteers to make visits. These visits can be soothing for the patients or residents, because people tend to be nurturing around animals. When participating in pet therapy, some patients recall fond memories about their own pets. These types of visits are shown to positively affect disposition and increase social interaction among patients and residents.
