Animal Assisted Therapy is also known as AAT. It is a method of treatment and rehabilitation for many diseases and conditions. In AAT, the animal becomes an “important behavioural facilitator” causing positive changes in the patient or client. It dates back to the 1940s and began in earnest in the 1990s, however, this process is still new in field. AAT has gained widespread support and application over the past few decades.

AAT has physical, mental, educational and motivational effects on its patients. Where a natural environment is made and bought so that the encounter between a patient and an animal is smoother. Which helps in elevating the motivation and strength of that certain individual.

The therapist-animal-patient triad

The therapist-animal-patient triad establishes a mechanism which significantly increases the level of communication. The patients learn to experience themselves in relation to others and learn how they can perceive truth and reality better.

Physical well-being

From a physical point of view, therapy can help improve fine motor abilities, use of a wheelchair, and maintenance of equilibrium when standing, etc.

Psychological well-being

In the mental health area, it improves attention, concentration, self-esteem, and verbal interaction. It also reduces anxiety and loneliness and develops recreation and leisure abilities.

Learning

As far as learning is concerned, it improves vocabulary as well as short and long-term memory.

Motivation

From the perspective of motivation, the presence of an animal also increases the desire to join in group and social activities and improves interaction with others. The therapy varies in duration and is characteristically interdisciplinary.

AAT training

Clinics and hospitals that provide AAT need to make sure that the animals and the clients are given proper training. This is the most important step needed so that proper help is provided. Licenses are also to be provided to both therapists and the places that train the animals to help in the cases of both Animal Assisted Activities and Animal Assisted Therapies.

AAT implementation

The implementation of the therapy can vary in duration, from a long-term process in which the patients adopt the animal; to short-term interactions between patients and a trained animal just to be in for structured activities. Both of these approaches keep in mind the concept of the well-being of people and animals alike. It completely depends on the client whether they want to have an animal as a pet or just during therapy or activities.

What kind of animals can be used for AAT?

An important question to be asked is what kind of animals can be used for AAT.

There is particularly not a lot of research done on this topic, because of it being new in the field. But when it comes to which animals can be used, canines-assisted interventions are more found. The choice of animal depends on the choice of the client. The animals are put into a client’s life in different variations from structured activities to natural and spontaneous responses, to see the effect as it depends on the behaviour of the client.

AAT efficacy

AAT cannot be the sole helper in helping with treatments. They have to be given along with other theories that are going to help to reduce the particular psychological disorder. This is a crucial process as the chances of the calm and collected behaviour of animals is not effective at reducing the disorders if there is no proper theory.

Research shows that a structured psychotherapy and psychoeducation group that included a calm and gentle puppy was not as effective at reducing depression in college students as a ‘non-directive’ group without psychotherapy that focused on the behaviour of an engaging, energetic puppy.

This also means that incorporating transition is difficult from the canine visit to the group therapy. It is also therefore important to understand how acceptable the client finds these interventions that incorporate animals. Therefore, clients are also given a choice to keep the animals as their pets as well.

Playing, caring for, or simply petting an animal is believed to have several effects on a person like creating a sense of calm and a sense of purpose. Although, any animal can provide this animals commonly used for therapy include dogs, cats, horses, birds, dolphins, rabbits and other small animals.

The touch works as a calming force, something that can help them ground themselves and help in feel better. Combining this with playing and petting the animals with various other activities, or even while talking to the therapist about their issues can work as a reward to the client in helping themselves get better. Positive psychological and psychosocial benefits have been linked to the presence of companion animals.

Physiological effects

If we consider physiological effects, research has shown that interaction with therapy animals helps in the reduction of heart rate and blood pressure. It can also affect neurochemicals associated with stress reduction like cortisol and increase dopamine, endorphins and oxytocin. Petting an animal causes our brain to release these neurotransmitters which counteracts our body’s reaction to pain and gives pleasure.

Cognitive changes

For Cognitive changes, research has found that clients start to have a stronger orientation to the present, an increased ability to be in the here and now, decreased guilt and regret, decreased focus on future-oriented fears, and increased self-efficacy. Researchers have been documenting for a while how AAT integration with other therapies has successfully helped in the reduction of anxiety, stress, and depression.

Interpersonal relations

When it comes to improving individual interpersonal relations and interactions, clients who often feel uncomfortable in new places and situations have shown improvement. They have found an increase in being comfortable with social interactions and reduced avoidance as well.

AAT also brings great benefits for chronic patients with lengthy hospital treatment. The bond between animal and client helps in adapting to the new, stressful environment, which can help in reducing anxiety, stress, pain and blood pressure and improves mobility and muscle strength. The animal can be a stimulant and represents a source of physical contact and consolation. It can help in reducing loneliness and depression and promote a healthy lifestyle.

A word of caution

Everything that has a positive link also has a negative side. Well, to be very honest, pets or animals in general are a costly affair. It makes it in such a way that AAT as a therapy would be something affordable to a certain set of backgrounds of clients or to places where their insurance will be able to cover the same. They potentially also need to be taken care of with food, good housing, and veterinary care.

If not safeguarded properly, they can be potential threats to the patients and others as well. We as human beings also get very attached to said animals. When losing them, the person will go through a huge sense of grief similar to losing a person. This has the possibility of sending the person back to leading where they were before.

Well AAT is not something new. But even then the research for the topic is still lacking. Is it similar to having service pets? Will the patients become dependent on them? And many more. AAT has a huge potential to help humans get connected to animals and reduce certain psychological disorders. There is a lot to discuss, and a lot of questions around, but not enough data to stand for.

Making a complete stand about such a topic is something that cannot be taken lightly. With the increase in mental health disorders, what else can we do to get it better?