The purpose of pet therapy is to help someone recover from or cope with a health problem or mental disorder.
Dogs and cats are most commonly used in pet therapy. But also horses, rabbits and honkeys in Italy.
AAT is a formal, structured set of sessions that helps people reach specific goals in their treatment.
A BRIEF DEFINITION by https://www.healthline.com/health/pet-therapy
Pet therapy is a guided interaction between a person and a trained animal. It also involves the animal’s handler. The purpose of it is to help someone recover from or cope with a health problem or mental disorder.
Dogs and cats are most commonly used in pet therapy. However, fish, guinea pigs, horses, and other animals that meet screening criteria can also be used. The type of animal chosen depends on the therapeutic goals of a person’s treatment plan.
It is also referred to as animal-assisted therapy (AAT). AAT is sometimes confused with animal-assisted activities (AAA). AAT is a formal, structured set of sessions that helps people reach specific goals in their treatment. AAA involves more casual meetings in which an animal and its handler interact with one or more people for comfort or recreation.
Pet therapy builds on the pre-existing human-animal bond. Interacting with a friendly pet can help many physical and mental issues. It can help reduce blood pressure and improve overall cardiovascular health. It can also release endorphins that produce a calming effect.
This can help alleviate pain, reduce stress, and improve your overall psychological state.
It can be used in many different ways. Defined objectives are an important part of therapy, and your progress will be recorded and tracked at structured sessions.
