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Avian-Assisted Intervention

In recent decades, there has been a marked change in the relationship between humans and animals, accompanied by growing awareness that humans, particularly children, the elderly and the physically and mentally challenged, have much to gain from this relationship. Having an animal in the home, when properly managed, can be a source of benefit to society and pets, working animals and service animals play a key mediating role in educational and therapeutic-rehabilitation processes.

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Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI, generally known as Pet Therapy) is consequently becoming more widespread in various public and private settings.  AAI can be applied to therapeutic, rehabilitative, educational and recreational settings and involve companion animals. The most commonly used pets are dogs, horses, birds, donkeys, cats and rabbits. Such treatment is chiefly provided to people with physical, neuromotor, mental and physical disorders, whatever their cause, but can also be given to healthy people.

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AAI has to comply with legislation in force and, where included in educational and therapeutic-rehabilitation processes, must be based on scientific criteria. Treatment protocols have to envisage patient/user recruitment, project drafting, definition of the objectives, and periodic control of the results achieved. Specialists must be able to work as part of a team with members from very different scientific and cultural spheres.

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Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (2024)

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Today, the multiple physical, social and mental benefits of interacting with animals in controlled environments are indisputable. In fact, such benefits were already present in therapeutic contexts long before documented scientific evidence was made widely available.

All About Animal-Assisted Therapy

If you’ve ever felt comforted by your family pet, you’ve had a glimpse into the benefits of animal-assisted therapy.

Animal-assisted therapy is using an animal as part of goal-oriented therapy sessions. There are psychological and physiological benefits to animal-assisted therapy.

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The American Humane Association defines animal-assisted therapy on their website as:

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“A goal-directed intervention in which an animal is incorporated as an integral part of the clinical healthcare treatment process. Animal-assisted therapy is delivered or directed by a professional health or human service [professional] who demonstrates skill and expertise regarding the clinical applications of human-animal interactions.”

Facts about animal-assisted therapy
1. There’s no singular nor standardized approach to animal-assisted therapy

Therapy animals support the therapeutic process rather than leading it. A therapy animal could be involved in a wide range of therapies. Examples include equine therapy for kids with anxiety and canine therapy for childhood trauma.

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The therapy animal might simply be in the session to offer comfort. Or, it may take a more active role, like when a therapy client interacts with the animal by grooming it or walking with it.

2. They’re not service animals

Therapy animals and service animals have different roles.

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Service animals are trained to perform specific tasks for people with conditions that are challenging to manage. Service dogs can be a huge gift in helping these folks live functional lives, says Teresa Lodato, a certified professional co-active coach out of Alamo, California.

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“A therapy animal, on the other hand, is used for specific tasks like education (or) stress relief,” she explains.

“One way to identify which is which (is that) service dogs work solely for their human companion. Therapy animals are handled by a human but are providing therapy or education to a third person or party.”

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Therapist Dr. Monika Kreinberg of Mind Wellness Center adds that “service dogs can provide many different types of services [such as guiding] the blind or alert[ing] for diabetes and seizures.”

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But she clarifies, “An animal used within the scope of therapy — its role is to assist with the processing of emotions. Therapy animals are often used as extra help to connect with clients and help them go through the motions of therapy.”

3. Animals used for therapy include more than dogs and horses

Since pet therapy animals don’t need task-specific training the way service animals do, there are more kinds of animals that can participate.

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Nurse practitioner Becky Morrison says, “my English Mastiff is a visiting therapy dog and personal therapy dog. In Alberta, Canada, we have the PALS program — Pet Access League Society — dogs and cats are certified as visiting therapy animals.”

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Dogs, cats, and horses aren’t all, though. Other animals therapists may use for animal-assisted therapy include:

  • birds

  • rabbits

  • ferrets

  • guinea pigs

4. They help folks with a variety of causes and settings

Animal-assisted therapy isn’t always at a clinician’s office.

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“We go into various healthcare settings from hospitals, hospice, nursing homes, shelters, even the airport,” Morrison says of her visiting therapy dog.

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Sessions can be individual or for groups and can happen in many different locations, such as:

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  • libraries

  • schools

  • outdoors

  • rehabilitation centers

  • correctional facilities

Benefits of animal-assisted therapy

“Using animals in therapy can be highly effective,” says Kreinberg.

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A therapy animal provides a safe topic of conversation to kick start the connection between therapist and client. In addition to being a source of comfort and pleasant distraction, the animal creates a talking point to spark engagement.

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In addition to increasing social interactions, the benefits of animal-assisted therapy include human-animal interaction that can reduce emotional arousal and anger, according to 2019 research Trusted Source.

There are medical benefits, too.

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A 2018 study Trusted Source shows that seeing and touching animals can trigger positive physiological changes, including higher levels of:

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A reduced baseline cortisol level is another benefit.

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Research from 2016 has also linked animal-assisted therapy to improved blood flow in people experiencing heart failure. It may even reduce blood pressure for some people.

Does animal-assisted therapy really work?

It’s helpful, according to Kreinberg. She says she often brought her therapy dog along on child abuse cases at Family Court. Kreinberg says her dog helped connect with children who lost trust in adults due to abuse.

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Research from 2016 pinpoints the therapeutic bond as being one of the most important factors in therapy success. In other words, being able to trust your therapist matters. Animals can help to foster this trust.

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A 2019 abstractTrusted Source covering seven studies examined canine-assisted psychotherapy for youth 10–19 years old experiencing mental health issues. It found that canine-assisted psychotherapy had a positive impact on behaviors and conditions like:

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  • internalizing disorders

  • anxiety

  • post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

  • anger

  • externalizing disorders (external-facing impulse challenges like conduct disorders)

 

The mental health benefits of animal-assisted therapy for kids go even further.

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A 2015 study linked therapeutic time with animals to reduced pain levels after surgery. Children hospitalized for cancer treatment also experienced reduced levels of the stress hormone cortisol, thanks to time spent in animal-assisted therapy.

Medically reviewed by Joslyn Jelinek, LCSW — By Nancy Lovering — Updated on July 13, 2022

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Sources:

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  • Kreinberg M. (2022). Personal interview.

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  • Lodato T. (2022). Personal interview.

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  • Morrison B. (2022). Personal interview.

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