When Your Pet Is The Therapy

Says Preeti Misra of Mumbai-based In-dian Council for Mental Health ICMH, which works for special children, especially those with hearing impairments and devel-opmental challenges: 8220;We have always been looking for innovative ways of training spe-cial children. In late 2005, we were told of Animal Angels Foundation, an NGO run by three psychologists trained in animal as-sisted therapy AAT and we decided to give it a try.8221; AAT, recalls Misra, was a revelation. 8220;After observing the students for months, we chose five who lacked social skills for the pilot project. Our initial plan was to hold 20 sessions, but we were amazed at the results by the time just 15 were over.8221;

One of the success stories at ICMH was 10-year-old Jiten. Afflicted with Down Syn-drome, Jiten was very interactive. But one day, everything changed: He just stopped responding. Says Anita Bhaskaran, princi-pal, skills and ability section, ICMH: 8220;He be-came stiff and withdrew. Even his body lan-guage changed. Though his mother said he spoke at home, we did not hear a word from him at the school for two years.8221;

Jiten was selected for AAT8217;s pilot project. Explains Bhaskaran: 8220;After just 15 sessions with a trained Labrador, Jiten started talking to the dog. He would utter monosyllabic commands to the animal. He became car-ing towards it, and nowhe extends the same care to his classmates as well.8221;

Says Misra: 8220;Special kids are only used to taking commands from others. So it boosts their self-confidence when they have some-one, even if it is an animal, who listens to their orders.8221; After some sessions with the animal where the children develop social skills, they are taught to retain the same even in its absence. 8220;We don8217;t want the child to lean on the animal forever. So, there is a transference period when the child is en-couraged to behave in the same way with people,8221; explains Bhaskaran.

The animal used in therapy, however, dif-fers from the ordinary pet. 8220;Therapy dogs are trained not to retaliate. If ill-treated, they simply move away. There have been cases where our students bit the dog, but it did not bite back. Your ordinary pet might regis-ter its protest in a different way,8221; says Misra. Still, 8216;ordinary8217; pets are also beneficial to children and the elderly. Says Delhi-based psychiatrist Samir Parikh: 8220;Pets help chil-dren develop a sense of responsibility and involvement. In the elderly, when their cog-nitive functions are limited, unconditional love from the pet and pet care give them a feeling of productive use of time, attach-ment, a sense of involvement and emo-tional bonding. It makes them feel they are not completely inactive.8217;8217;

Affirms Narayani, a Delhi-based home-maker in her 60s: 8220;Earlier, I used to worry a lot, especially about my children8217;s future. But my pet pomarenian keeps me busy these days. I have become more positive af-ter bringing her home. When I see her happy ways, I feel more confident about life.8217;8217; And it8217;s not just dogs that are therapeutic. Says Misra: 8220;If a hyperactive child is made to watch a slow and graceful goldfish for a long time, it will, in turn, calm him/her down. On the other hand, making a slow child watch a fast-moving fish will help him increase his/her speed.8221; In Bangalore, horses are used as part of AAT for special children. Parikh qualifies: 8220;To call it therapy would be wrong usage as it implies a treatment strategy that guarantees cure. Pets have never been proved to guarantee cure for any physical/mental illness. They will only uplift your mood and add to your happiness. It8217;s like indulging in your favourite hobby when you are depressed to feel better. Pets will help you only if you love them. Like the way gardening helps only those who love plants.8221; But there is a flip side. Animals, es-pecially pets, start reflecting their immedi-ate environment. Says Dr Chiro Mitra, a Gurgaon-based veterinarian: 8220;A depressed owner8217;s dog won8217;t be as active as a happy person8217;s. The pet also requires a happy envi-ronment and an interactive owner. It can8217;t communicate to the wall.8221;

Though India has only recently woken up to the therapeutic effects of pets, it has been popular for a long time in the US andEurope. Says Dr Mitra: 8216;8216;Abroad, pets, espe-cially Golden Retrievers and Labradors, are used to cheer up the elderly. There are many training centres where dogs are trained to be companions for the visually challenged.8221; Agrees Marilyn Gilbert, executive direc-tor, Caring Canines Visiting Therapy Dogs Inc, an all-volunteer pet visitation pro-gramme that visits hospitals, assisted living facilities, nursing homes and adult day care programs in Boston in the US: 8220;Our visits have helped the patients in more ways than one. While it8217;s not always acceptable to touch other people, it is perfectly all right to hug and pet the friendly dogs. And since most of these people are always helpless re-cipients of care, it feels good to be a giver at times. Most importantly, they provide an outlet for lonely people to express affection.8221; A recent study conducted by the Ameri-can Heart Association suggests that therapy dogs lower anxiety, stress and heart and lung pressure among heart failure patients. They say a dog is a man8217;s best friend. Per-haps, it is his best medicine too!

SNIP-PETS

8226; Stroking a cat/dog is said to lower one8217;s blood pressure

8226; The feel of a purring cat on your lap conveys a sense of security and comfort

8226; Horses, ponies and donkeys are used on people with mobility difficulties. Horses provide the sensation of move-ment, using the sense of smell, as well as the concept of size

8226; Birds, especially those in an aviary, help the visually-challenged. They give audible clues as to how they fly. Speed can also be felt as they fly past

8226; Fish are used as a source of relaxation. Their colourful variety can engage a hy-peractive child8217;s attention

8226; Rabbits, hamsters and other small crea-tures fit into children8217;s hands. Kids are generally more confident in handling animals smaller than themselves