Pet Therapy

In the majority of cases, this kind of treatment is applied to children, seniors, people with disabilities or psychiatric disorders.

It seems that the interaction with an animal for a child, could develop the ability to learn and process faster and also learn how to take care of someone other than himself, and consequently developing a sense of respect and responsibility towards others.

It is very important to develop these characteristics for a child because it will help him to grow up with a more solid basis. The presence of an animal (in our case a dog) is certainly an important one because his dog and will take as a great emotional value.

it is also known that cuddling and caressing dog creates a pleasing physical contact and stimulates creativity and observation skills.

In adolescents, the relationship with the dog can instead help stimulate experiences and reflections on important concepts such as respect, trust, reciprocity: it is used for example in prevention projects to bullying. Today more than ever, this is a phenomenon that must be fought.

As mentioned above, Pet therapy is also used with people with disabilities. Several studies show that the relationship with a 'pet may help to find new enthusiasm and motivation in dealing with small daily tasks and experience an easier manner and spontaneous interaction

Obviously, in these cases, the treatments are custom built because each subject has specific requirements.

According to the National Guidelines is recommended the involvement in interventions only pets, such as dogs, cats, rabbits, donkeys, and horses. Each animal must be certified, it must have health and behavioral requirements, aptitude and capacity, evaluated by a veterinary expert in pet therapy. The basic requirement is that the relationship between the pet and its conductor: only this bond allows the success of treatment. The conductor is the one who trained him and will be present in all therapy sessions.

So is this good to have a pet at home?

Surely Direct contact with the animal provides many stimuli, the child experiences basic emotions for his development: attention, respect, tolerate and channeling aggression. 

In the current daily life, children are less related to the animal world than ever before, and it is a shame because animals bring a huge emotional richness.

Let's jump in the past to explain the evolution of this therapy.

In fact, since prehistoric times, in the medicine of primitive peoples, animals have often played an important therapeutic role.

The first attempt in assisted animal therapy was in the ninth century Gheel, Belgium, where the animals were introduced to cure the disabled persons.

In 1792, the child psychologist William Tuke began to treat his patients, the mentally ill ones, with animals, thinking that they might be an instrument to give greater stability and mental balance and be a genuine support for the recovery of self-control.

In 1859, Florence Nightingale noted that small animals could be used as companions for chronically ill people.

In 1867 in Germany it was founded the Bethel Hospital, where animals of various species were used as part of treatment for recovery of epileptics.

In 1919 the Ministry of Interior of the USA suggested the introduction of dogs as a support to patients with severe depression and schizophrenia following the First World War.

In 1942, the American Red Cross encouraged the soldiers who reported physical and emotional disturbances injuries because of World War II to work with pigs, poultry, horses, but also frogs and dogs.

In 1953, the American psychiatrist Boris Levinson discovered, by chance, the positive action of their dogs on a small autistic patient. In fact, he began the first research to test the therapeutic effectiveness of companion animals used for the recovery of people with severe mental illness. 

Levinson affirmed that the presence of a favored pet may help to relax, and the patients involved were more ready to have a dialogue and to cooperate

It was the psychiatrist who coined the definition of pet therapy, that is, through animal therapy, in his book The dog as a co-therapist, published in 1961.

For the first time, Levinson talked about plausible and testable theories explaining the benefits of animal companionship and that he applied in the care of his young patients.

Pet therapy is enhanced by additional studies such as those conducted by spouses Samuel and Elizabeth Corson. The two American psychiatrists adopted the theories of Levinson for the treatment of adults with mental health problems and in 1975 elaborated the pet facilitated therapy by using pets and documenting good results: improved communication skills and expression of emotions and development of 'empathy.

In the same year, two English experts, Mugford, and McComisky, applied pet therapy to old people and studied the effectiveness of animals in foster social relationships between people.

In 1977 however he was a study by Erika Friedmann and scientifically proved that contact with a familiar animal produces some modifications on physical parameters such as pulse and blood pressure, so there is a reduced risk of heart attack and lowering hypertension.

In 1981 "The Delta Society," , was founded in the US. This association was responsible of studying the human-animal interaction and the therapeutic effects related to the company of animals.

The Delta Society has also produced a number of important standards for the practice of this therapy and for the training of dog trainers.

In the current daily life, children are less related to the animal world than ever before, and it is a shame because animals bring a huge emotional richness.