Many doctors, therapists and counselors have been asked if touching an animal can truly make a difference in their patients physical or mental healing.

Sunday, March 11, 2001

Many doctors, therapists and counselors have been asked if touching an animal can truly make a difference in their patients physical or mental healing. Although there has been extensive research done on the subject, and many people of the health care profession have seen positive evidence in their practice, others deny the significance of pets in therapy.

The fact is, the majority of people enjoy animals of one kind or another, while some are indifferent to them and some don’t like them at all. A doctor who doesn’t like pets will certainly not admit to any advantage in using animals for "healing." And a patient who is terrified by dogs would not benefit from a date with even the friendliest canine.

Still, the uses of pets in therapy are as many as there are therapeutic needs. The soft feel of animal fur between one’s fingers, the warmth emitted from a cat, purring on one’s lap, even the tickling of hamster whiskers on one’s neck, can have a significantly calming effect. And a dentist’s or doctor’s waiting room doesn’t seem half frightening to a young patient if there is an aquarium with fish to watch.

Most people know the value of dogs, trained to "see" for the blind, "hear" for the deaf, and be a paralyzed person’s "hands." Those dogs are, however much more than replacements for their owners’ lost abilities. The bond between dog and owner gives a person confidence to lead a fairly independent life, be able to maneuver in a crowd and even make new contacts. A person in a wheelchair is often ignored because some people don’t know how to approach a handicapped individual. The dog draws attention, though, and it’s easy to strike up a conversation about someone’s pet.

It’s quite understandable that people who are used to living with animals, be it house pets or livestock, can fall into depression when illness necessitates long hospital stay or placement in a nursing home. A well-meaning person donated to St. Mark’s Lutheran Home a golden retriever pup that stole the hearts of residents and staff alike. Sadly, the dog eventually became too protective of "his" people – residents and staff – and started acting like the watchdog. The idea of having a resident canine was not to keep the residents’ visitor away, so he had to leave.

Fran, a St. Mark’s resident since she had a stroke many years ago, eyed intensely a jigsaw puzzle she was putting together. When complimented on the pretty picture of a grazing mare with a foal, Fran looked up and smiled. "Yes, aren’t they beautiful?" Her reply and the long conversation that followed came as a total surprise. Fran was not one to talk much, but the subject of horses, then dogs and other animals she used to keep, brought out memories she might have held back for years. She also let on that she missed the resident dog, which she had enjoyed so much. Her eyes lit up when she was promised a visit by a friendly dog very soon.

In front of a large bird cage down the hall sat a lady in her wheelchair, gazing at the lively finches. She was so rapt in the activity behind the glass, she barely notice someone speaking to her – until she caught the word, "birds." Another resident had joined the bird lady. "Yup," he muttered, "the eggs hatched." The lady nodded and smiled, a serene look in her eyes.

A group of enthusiasts, that has tried to convince the medical establishment of the healing power of pets, contend that having a friendly animal around can work wonders to relieve depression in the elderly and prevent heart disease by lowering blood pressure. A study of survival rates among 92 coronary patients showed that pet owners are more likely to be alive one year after discharge from a coronary heart unit than people who don’t own a pet. Even petting an unknown but friendly dog has its merits. You don’t need the ability to speak, see or hear in order to communicate with a dog or cat. A friendly touch is good enough for both human and animal.

When Becky Riley lay in the hospital after an aneurysm, she was unresponsive to family members as well as medical staff. The doctor asked the family if his patient had a pet and found out about Riley’s little poodle. He then asked her, "Do you have a dog?" Riley came to and answered the next question with the dog’s name, "Ashley." Not long after that, Riley’s recovery was remarkable. Once home, she lets on, she had her little curly-haired dog nearby, a constant reminder of the difference a furry friend can make.

Riley doesn’t remember the incident at the hospital, but she now recalls incidents from before her illness. Her late mother lived in Adam’s rest home. At that time, Riley’s daughter brought her two German shepherd dogs to visit Grandma.

Not only was Grandma elated, but other residents, some of whom hardly ever left their rooms, came out to see the dogs. One lady, who hardly ever spoke a word, talked to the dogs and smiled for the first time in years.

The sick and elderly are not the only ones for whom pets are used in therapy. According to Denny Shatek of the Sheriff’s Youth Programs, the presence of horses has quite a positive effect on the kids in treatment. "Some like to touch them," Shatek says, "some are afraid of them, but they like to look at them." He adds that some of the boys like to touch and brush them. Getting to ride is a privilege, which has to be earned.

Many of the kids at the correctional facility had to leave pets at home. That’s one of the harsh consequences of unacceptable behavior, Shatek points out. For the same reason, animals are not allowed inside the units. There are several cats outside, though, and the boys love to feed and take care of them. They are not, however, allowed to touch the cats, as the risk of bites and scratches are very real. Shatek has not witnessed any kid abusing an animal. "That might have happened, but they’re very careful because of the severe consequences," he explains.

Shatek believes strongly in the therapeutic value of pet-kid connection. "It’s calms them down," he says. "It’s soothing. A few years ago we have cattle out here. A boy from St. Paul was standing out there by the fence, just staring at them. I asked him ‘what’s the matter?’ ‘Nothing. Just looking,’ he answered." Shatek chuckles at the memory of the boy who had never seen a cow and didn’t know that milk comes from cows.

Shatek stresses the importance of animals in people’s lives – the way his wards enjoy looking at the ranch critters as well as those wild ones, cutting across yard and pasture. "I know how it is," he says. "I’ve got three cats at home. When I get home, I need to relax too, and the cats… the cats are there to calm me down," he says with a smile. Two of Shatek’s colleagues show up, and they agree with Denny. The idea of animals in therapy is here to stay, at least if they have something to say about it.

Nini Johnson can be reached by e-mail at newsroom@austindailyherald.com.