Animal assisted therapy: How it works and mental wellbeing benefits
Pet therapy can work wonders for our holistic health. Read on and get your cuddles at the ready
Text: Akhila
We all have down days when nothing seems to go right, then we return home to a pet and — boom — all is right with the world again. Along with being damn cute, our furry friends provide us with so much more than just being a trusty companion. The joy that animals give us goes beyond their adorable face to assisted pet therapy. Read on for how it gives our mental wellbeing a boost.
What is animal therapy?
Animal therapy, or assisted pet therapy, refers to the use of animals as a way to help people cope with and recover from some physical and mental health conditions (not just traditional furries, it incorporates the likes of horses, pigs and birds as well).
It’s used to complement the benefits of traditional therapy, but isn’t used as an alternative to traditional therapy, and the exact type of animal therapy you receive depends on the condition the person has. Once this is agreed, the positive interactions with an animal may lead to benefits in the mind and body, such as reduced stress and a more balanced mental and emotional state of wellbeing.
How does it work?
According to Mayo Clinic, hanging out with animals can lower your body’s level of cortisol; the hormone associated with stress. It triggers the release of endorphins, the feel-good neurotransmitters which provide a calming effect; and serotonin, the chemicals linked with happiness and wellbeing. Animals can provide a sense of calm, comfort or safety, and divert attention away from a stressful situation, putting you in a more positive state of mind. Advocates of animal-assisted therapy say that developing a bond with an animal can help people promote a better sense of self-worth and trust, stabilise emotions, and improve their communication, self-regulation, and socialisation skills.
Who benefits from pet therapy?
“Studies have shown that interacting with a friendly dog for 15 minutes helps to lower our blood pressure, heart rate, and the stress hormone, cortisol,” confirms Maureen Huang, founder and executive director of Pawsibility, a counselling practice that specialises in in Animal Assisted Therapy and Animal Assisted Play Therapy. It has also been proven to assist with the following:
Children having dental procedures
People receiving cancer treatment
People in long-term care facilities
People with cardiovascular diseases
People with dementia
Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder
People with anxiety
In addition, astudy in Psychogeriatrics found that dog assisted therapy in long-term elderly care facilities helped reduce symptoms of depression. The research suggests that the dogs help facilitate social interaction and create positive emotional responses. Pet therapy is also being used in nonmedical settings, such as universities and community programs, to help people deal with anxiety and stress.
Of course, feeling a bit low is not a reason to rush out and buy a pet. All pets deserve time, care, dedication and love from their owners, and signing up to one full-time takes serious commitment (not to mention finances). However, there are many places in Singapore where we can go to get a pet-fix.
Dogs - Pawsibility runs Animal Assisted Therapy programmes (AAT) as well as holiday camps for kids to spend the week frolicking about with canine companions. You can even volunteer your own dog at organisations like Therapy Dogs Singapore and SOSD’s Healing Paws programme to share the love.
Cats - For feline friends, organisations like Cat Assisted Therapy Singapore and Love Kuching Project provide Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) with cats. There’s also Cat Safari at Turf Club Road if you want to snuggle some kittens.
Horses - Equine assisted therapy incorporates horses into the therapeutic process. While you can’t take the ponies home, Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) train horses to provide equine-assisted therapy for all types of disabilities. Healing Horses Singapore and THERIS are other local organisations that provide emotional and mental therapeutic programmes.
Anyone considering animal therapy should discuss the process and how they may benefit from it with a doctor or a mental health specialist.
