Animal Assisted Therapy

Owning a pet has many benefits. You always have someone who is happy to see you come home. If you need a pick me up they can give you a cuddle. And of course stroking an animal can feel very relaxing, wether it's a cat, dog, or even a spider. Some people do not have the chance to own an animal, and this is where animal-assisted therapy comes in. It has been shown that animals can be very therapeutic for a range of reasons. They can elevate the mood of elderly people who are lonely, or help people with mental illnesses such as Alzheimer's. Guide dogs are an example of animals being used to help a specific illness: blindness. Dogs in particular have been used in the past for a range of purposes, for example they can even be trained to warn if someone is having an epileptic fit.