Therapy Friends
MARS — Nancy Shattuck scratched the soft, white fur on Latte's belly until the 4-month-old domestic shorthair mix cat began to purr.
“I love them. I want to take them all home,” said Shattuck, a Mars resident, laughing. “They are so cuddly, fuzzy and cute, and they all have personalities, each one is different.”
As the animals were pulled from their crates, ohs and ahs filled the Mars Senior Center, 2 Gilkey Drive, from about 15 attendees who participated in pet therapy recently with the Butler County Humane Society.
Pet therapy is usually offered in a range of settings, including retirement living, community care, residential aged care homes, hospices, rehabilitation centers and in a senior's own home, according to Caring People Inc. Pet therapy for depression and other ailments that seniors suffer from has been linked to lower blood pressure, less frequent visits to the doctor, and a tendency to live in the now instead of contemplating the future.
Every few months when the society and its animals visit the Mars Senior Center, Shattuck always makes sure to attend. Last month, the society brought five kittens, she said.
At home, Shattuck has Buddy, a tuxedo cat, she said.
The visits provide the elderly with companionship, Shattuck said.
“A lot of them have given up pets, and they just love playing with them,” she said. “And, the cats seem to enjoy it to when they get used to us.”About two months ago, a resident adopted one of the animals who came for the visit, said Lynn Hoener, who has volunteered with the Butler County Humane Society since 2015.Animals that are well socialized are brought out for the visits, she said.“People at the senior centers tend not to have pets,” Hoener said.Animals are not judgmental, offer unconditional love and can connect to a person's feelings, said Carol Hagan, who has volunteered for about a year with the Butler County Humane Society.“It gets rid of anxiety and depression,” said Hagan. “When you're feeling blue, an animal understands.”Debbie Anderson's pet was Sonny, a 6-month-old domestic shorthair mix. She cuddled the cat close.Anderson is another Mars Senior Center attendee who visits every time the society brings animals, she said. Her own cat's name is Java.“I think it's nice,” Anderson said about the visit. “Animals to me give you a sensation of being relaxed. I don't care if it's cats or dogs.”
