With wagging tails, rhythmic purrs, an excited greeting at the end of the day, and comforting vibration of a gentle hum, furry friends are excellent companions who contribute to our mental and physical well-being.
Canadians love animals. According to 2021 statistics, 77% of Canadian households have a pet, whether a dog, cat, fish, guinea pig, bird, or rabbit. That amounts to just over 28 million pets across the country. Cats and dogs are the favourite choices of our pet-loving population.
Pets and Our Health
Pets have a brilliant way of making a bad day better. They are faithful companions whose unconditional love fills our hearts. Owning a pet or interacting with animals has been shown to provide significant health benefits.
Pet therapy was accidentally discovered in 1950 by child psychologist Boris Levinson when he noticed that his sessions with children were more productive when his dog, Jingles, was in the room. His article, “The Dog as Co-Therapist”, written in 1961, was dismissed by his peers, but Dr. Levinson continued his research exploring the human-animal bond and its benefits in therapy.
“A pet is an island of sanity in what appears to be an insane world. Friendship retains its traditional values and securities in one’s relationship with one’s pet. Whether a dog, cat, bird, fish, turtle or what have you, one can rely upon the fact that one’s pet will always remain a faithful, intimate, non-competitive friend, regardless of the good or ill fortune life brings us.” – Dr. Boris Levinson, pioneer of animal-assisted therapy
Types of Pet Therapy
Therapy animals come in all shapes and sizes. Dogs are the most used. However, cats, horses, dolphins, guinea pigs, fish, and rabbits have been used. In fact, any animal that a person responds to can be used for therapy or emotional support.
We are probably most familiar with service animals. In Canada, the only animals recognized in this capacity are dogs. Service dogs are specifically trained to assist with a particular function, such as vision or hearing disorders, diabetic alert, seizure alert, autism support, or mobility.
Service animals are not pets; they are working animals that assist people with tasks such as opening doors, alerting owners of an upcoming seizure or low blood sugar, moving the owner to safe areas, etc. These animals are permitted to go anywhere with their handlers.
Therapy pets are used in seniors’ homes, schools, hospitals, and mental health facilities, and they work alongside their owners and patients.
According to VCA Animal Hospitals, there are three types of pet therapy.
- Therapeutic Visitation: This therapy does not require the animal to be specifically trained. Animals are brought to hospitals or medical care centers where patients have been for an extended period and assist in the healing process. Volunteers using their own pets visit these facilities.
- Animal-Assisted Therapy: These are trained animals that act like occupational therapists (come in with their handler) and help patients improve mobility and motor skills.
- Facility Therapy: Animals reside in the facility, whether in a mental health care facility, rehabilitation center, seniors home or long-term care.
Equine therapy has gained popularity in recent years. This therapy is always done with a professional who has been trained in mental health and equine-assisted therapy. The goal of this therapy is to improve cognitive and emotional well-being by managing stress and anxiety.
Horses are extremely sensitive to non-verbal cues and therapy helps with communication skills and self-awareness. This therapy involves grooming and care of the horse as well as learning to lead and ride a horse. These components of equine therapy lead to improved coping skills and emotional and behavioural regulation.
Emotional support animals are not trained in any skill; however, they are therapeutic to their owners. They provide emotional support to a specific individual. Emotional support animals provide emotional support to their owners for issues such as anxiety, depression, and stress.
Benefits of Pet Therapy
- Reduction of Anxiety and Stress
- Enhanced Mood and Emotional Support
- Encouragement of Physical Activity
- Pain Relief and Management
- Promotion of Social Interaction
- Reduction of Loneliness and Isolation
Mechanisms Behind the Benefits
Studies have shown pet therapy has neurochemical effects that contribute to overall well-being.
Interacting with pets increases the release of our happy hormones. Oxytocin (the love or bonding hormone), dopamine (the pleasure or reward hormone), and serotonin (the mood hormone) enhance feelings of happiness and create a sense of attachment, reducing depression and anxiety.
As the Health Insider has reported, the effect of stress on the body can be detrimental to our lives. Managing stress is essential to stay healthy. Pet therapy can also help lower cortisol levels. Lower levels of cortisol lead to a calmer demeanour and lessen the effects of stress around us.
Did you know that cat purring can help reduce stress, lower blood pressure and even promote healing of bones and tissues? – Ontario SPCA
Not only does animal-assisted therapy have biological effects, the psychological effects are also just as significant. Pet therapy provides a distraction from pain or discomfort, eases the feeling of loneliness, creates social connections, and improves cognitive function.
Goat/Puppy Yoga
Yoga with pets has become more popular over the past few years. Finding zen with goats and puppies is a great way to improve mental well-being. Having attended a dog yoga class with my canine friend, I left the class smiling and feeling great. Participants brought their dogs, and the feeling in the room was positive and fun, which goes back to the happy hormones.
You couldn’t help but smile as animals wandered around the room, licking, sniffing, and sometimes curling up under you. It was a feel-good experience that left me in a great mood.
Challenges
Pet therapy is a wonderful complementary therapy in health care, but it is not without some considerations. The need for animals and handlers to be specifically trained leads to limited availability. Even in the case of service animals, not all graduate from training ready to work. These “career change” dogs are then put up for adoption.
You can apply to adopt through training organizations, but the wait list is long. When you are matched with a dog, there will be a trial period of two weeks to see if you are a good fit. Dogs cannot be used as service animals, but many are used as therapy dogs. Career change dogs can also be retired service dogs, but typically these are adopted by their handlers or immediate family. Cost to adopt can be anywhere between $1000 – $1500.
Allergies and phobias to animals pose another challenge. Many people may be allergic to pet dander, posing an issue in pet therapy. Fear of animals can cause more stress than good for those who are uncomfortable around animals. Nipping and biting are also concerns.
Animal-born infection is another potential challenge, especially in healthcare facilities. Zoonotic pathogens are diseases that can pass from non-human to humans. They can be bacterial, viral, or parasitic and pose serious threats to immunocompromised individuals. Protocols to ensure animals are up to date on vaccinations and have regular veterinary check-ups are vital to the patients’, as well as the animals’ wellbeing.
Understanding the Laws
The rights and laws of service animals differ according to their function. Understanding where each type of animal is permitted to enter, travel restrictions, and access to public spaces should be noted.
- Service animals are used when someone’s life depends on them and have access wherever their handler takes them, from restaurants, public transportation, and grocery stores. These animals are highly trained and identifiable by wearing a vest indicating “working/service animal.”
- Therapy animals are permitted to enter places such as hospitals, schools, and nursing homes where they provide therapeutic service through petting, cuddling, companionship and therapeutic exercises.
- Emotional support animals help improve the mental health of their owner, but they do not have access to public spaces as service animals.
Pets are a complementary way to deal with mental health issues, rehabilitation, and pain management. The human-animal bond continues to be explored to understand their significant role in physical and psychological well-being.
If you and your pet want to become volunteers, you can sign up across Canada at St. John’s Ambulance. Some criteria need to be met. Therapeutic Paws is another organization where you and your pet can volunteer.
Looking for a service or emotional support animal? In Canada, you will first need a letter from a qualified health professional in your province that indicates that you have a disability requiring assistance or that the support animal is part of your treatment plan. Then, you will be required to submit an application to any service dog organization for approval.
To explore more on equine therapy, there are organizations across the country that offer programs, For more information, click here to find a centre in your province. Horse Therapy Canada is another great place to start your journey in equine therapy.
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The information provided on TheHealthInsider.ca is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. TheHealthInsider.ca advises consulting a medical professional or healthcare provider when seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.
