Therapy animals have a physical impact on those with health struggles
For some men and women, the answer to treatment for stress, anxiety and other challenges is man’s, or woman’s, best friend.
Certified therapy animals are trained to provide comfort and support in settings like schools, hospitals, nursing homes, mental health facilities and even in every day life. Oftentimes, these animals are service dogs who can provide companionship.
“For us, when any of us do visits, it can provide a bit of companionship for even just a small amount of time. It can be helpful to residents, patients, staff, kids at the schools we visit,” said Nancy Kieffer, director of training for the Butler Dog Training Association.
Other animals, such as cats and rabbits, can have a similar impact on humans.
Melissa Stammley-Park, the therapeutic programs coordinator at Pittsburgh-based shelter Animal Friends, said the use of animals to help people is based on science.
“It really comes down to, if you look at the science, it turns out that humans produce the same chemicals in our brain when we’re interacting with animals we like that we do when were interacting with our own children,” Stammley-Park said. “It really does create a feeling of well-being. You’re not imagining it.
“Depending on where we go — senior homes, classrooms, anyone who likes animals and wants to spend time with them — no one ever says they don’t feel better after.”
Other physical benefits experts see when bringing their therapy dogs to people that request them include lowering blood pressure — in addition to a cute dog or cat making you smile and laugh when playing.
On some occasions, therapy animals can help heal in ways doctors struggle to.
“Maybe you’re visiting a physical rehab facility, maybe when patients are there for a long amount of time gaining strength, maybe in a dementia wing, that’s a whole other type of visiting. Sometimes dogs bring back memories. It can start a conversation with a patient who hasn’t spoken in days or weeks,” Kieffer said. “We’ve had those experiences, where someone is in a fetal position and they come to life; and when the dog leaves they go back. You can give them a few minutes of joy.”
The important role of a therapy animal means they have to be trained well. One of the general qualifications, Kieffer said, is they have to like people. Especially as a dog, it’s important to be outgoing.
“The basics include general obedience, pretty firm stays, being good with sits and downs, staying put when told, come when called,” Kiefer said. “It also needs to work well around handicapped equipment, be comfortable with walkers, crutches, wheelchairs and oxygen. Temperament is very important.”
For a lot of the dog trainers who do therapy visits with dogs or other animals, it’s “such a good feeling of being able to do this” — being able to work with the dogs to help others,” Stammley-Park said.
“We’ll pretty much go anywhere if there’s an environment where the animal is not too stressed. People may ask us to come to community festivals and sometimes, if there’s a lot of noise, that’s not the best environment,” Stammley-Park said. “But any kind of office, the dogs are good. Schools are very popular. Colleges and universities too. Our dogs go to lots of nursing homes, hospitals, places like that.”
