3 Reasons why Animal Therapy is Important!

Animal therapy is a newer type of therapy within the decade and has since had a lot of data come out about this type of therapy and its benefits. To start, there are three aspects that are benefited by animal therapy which are - Mental Health, Psychical Health, and Skills Improvement. 

1. Mental Health 

If you've ever felt a sense of joy or relief when petting an animal, then you have experienced one of the many mental health benefits of animal therapy. According to Husson University, "the presence of an animal prompts the body to release serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin. These hormones generate a relaxation and stress-reducing response. This hormone release can lower symptoms of depression and sadness, helping support good mental health."

 

2. Psychical Health

It can be common knowledge that there are mental health benefits from animal therapy, but a lot of people are sometimes surprised to hear about the psychical benefits. According to Husson University, "researchers found that visits with therapy animals improved cardiovascular health in heart patients, precipitating lowered blood pressure and lowered stress hormone levels. The American Heart Association has found that working with therapy animals improves the health of heart failure patients in the hospital."

 

3. Skills Improvement

When people need psychical therapy that requires a person to move around, participants find themselves more motivated to participate in therapy after interacting with any type of pet. It was also discovered that people with autism or neurological difference often perform better in therapy when they have some type of animal to interact with!