Animal Therapy

Animal therapy, also called Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT), is actually a type of therapy that involves animals as a form of treatment that consists of a wide range of activities and a diverse group of animals that are able to help. Depending on the needs of the patient, many different animals can be used in therapy, including horses, also called equine-assisted therapy, dogs as known as canine-assisted therapy, dolphins, llamas, rabbits and other animals. There is a strong bond between animals and people. Animals are accepting, non-threatening and non-judgmental, making it easier for people to open up. Now, I am going to list out some of the benefits of AAT.

Firstly, AAT is an effective way to bring comfort and protection to normal people or for those with mental illness and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), for instance victims of childhood abuse, rape, a horrific accident, soldiers back from war. They can improve our mood, take our mind off our troubles for a little while, and reduce anxiety, agitation and sadness. What is more interesting, though, is the type of animals used for the different occasions according to the patient's mental health. For example, cats and parrots are being included into therapy for people with aggression and impulse control problems. Larger animals, on the other hand, are being used in physical therapy, especially for teenagers to control their behavior.

Other than this, animal therapy can improve social interaction and communication skills. Today, dogs aren't the only animal trained to work in assisted therapy; cats, horses and dolphins are all intelligent enough to interact with people. AAT helps people interact physically with an animal, participating in exercising activities like swimming and horseback riding jumping lessons. Physical activities are effective for all kinds of people, especially those who have mental disorders like Autism, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder OCD, Down syndrome, because people with mental illnesses often have trouble either to communicate or interact with other people, and animals help them improve their skills.

To conclude my presentation today, animal therapy can bring comfort and protection to people and improve communication skills by interact with animals. Animals such as dogs and cats not merely your pets again but also a little doctor that can cure you too. Let me end up with a quote “You can say any stupid thing to a dog and it will look at you