Articles  
Pet Therapy:
A New Healing Concept II
by Dr. Anjana Maitra  

A partner in grief

Often the grief of losing a spouse, friend or relative can be made easier to bear if there is the distraction of a pet. My uncle, a widower found solace in his dog Jerry when he lost my aunt to cancer. He would talk to Jerry and share his feelings with him and the thought that Jerry needed him as much as he did made him feel comfortable. He used to go for long walks with Jerry which helped him to come to terms with his loss. A pet can be a bond that glues a family together amidst upheaval – moving, death or divorce. Often an animal can reach a child beyond an adult’s touch.

Passive uses of pets

Use of aquariums or small caged birds in medical or dental waiting rooms, workplaces or residential homes have proved beneficial. Patients do not handle the animals but are found to benefit just from their presence in the room.

Institutions

People living in institutions example - residential and nursing homes may feel depressed or isolated. When animals join them both the staff and patients seem to benefit. It gives them an opportunity to play, make friends and cuddle. Many institutions have residential pets or visiting pets brought in by volunteers. These pets are trained to be docile and friendly. In recent years experts are relying on pet therapy as a valuable aid in reaching out to the elderly, infirm, ill or abused, including children. The animals go to convalescent homes, hospitals, day care centers, juvenile jails and prisons.

Other benefits

Studies have shown that pet owners have lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels; feel less afraid of being victims to a crime; have fewer minor health problems; have a better psychological well being; a decreased feeling of loneliness and isolation; an increase in positive self esteem; enhancement in cognitive child development and increase in family happiness. Animals, especially smaller ones have shown promise for many conditions, both social and physical including Alzheimer’s disease, attention deficit disorder of children, emotional problems, mental retardation etc.

The flip side

Like every coin which has two sides, keeping a pet has its disadvantages as well. The first point is that it makes one housebound. Unless you have good domestic help or people to stay in the house and take care of the pet, you can’t suddenly lock the house and go away, even when there is an emergency.

Secondly, losing a pet can be very devastating. Since it becomes a member of the family, its death creates a void that is difficult to fill. Children of the house too get attached to the pet as they often start seeing the dog or cat as a sibling. So the death of the pet can lead to adjustment problems to the child. Even grown ups find it difficult to cope with the loss of a beloved pet and many plunge into depression.

Thirdly, pets may often trigger allergies. Studies have found that allergies to pets stem from allergens or allergy-triggering proteins found in the animal’s dead skin flakes, oils, saliva or urine. For reasons unknown some pets provoke an allergic reaction in some people, but not in others.

One need not touch a pet to get an allergy. There are many airborne particles other than pet-borne small enough to get into the lungs. When inhaled, the allergens combine with antibodies and can cause severe breathing problems, eg coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath in some people. It is estimated that about 15-30% of people are allergic to pets. Cat allergies have been found to be twice as common as dog allergies.

Golden Rules

• Never gift a pet to someone who is not ready to take on the responsibility.

• While choosing a pet, keep in mind the area/size of your house and the routine of your family members. It is cruel to keep a huge Alsatian in a tiny flat or an affectionate puppy alone in the house the whole day.

• Before bringing home an animal, make sure all the family members are open to the idea.

• Involve your family members in taking care of the pet.

• Train the animal so that he can be social and well-behaved.

• Take care of his diet. Give him vitamins and supplements if needed.

• Be sure to vaccinate your pet.

• Consult a vet if your pet seems to be ill. Don’t try to treat him yourself.

• Be prepared for extra expenses for the pet – its food, accessories etc.

• Treat the pet with love and respect.

• Buy purebred animals from reputed pet shops or breeders.

• Don’t overfeed the pet. Don’t give scraps of your food to him from the dining table – it makes them greedy. Feed it at fixed times.

• Keep the pet’s feeding bowl and water dish clean and place it at a particular place. Change the water every day.

• If the pet gets body parasites like fleas, mites or ticks, treat it immediately.

• Keep the pet clean and well groomed.

• With a little patience you can teach amusing tricks to your pet.

Pet trivia

Many people keep unusual pets. TV anchor Komal G.B Singh has a parrot which she says is like her own child. Beauty diva Shahnaz Hussain loves to relax with her horse and camel at her farmhouse. We knew a German lady at Rourkela who kept a black bear as a pet whom she called ‘Balu’. Many Japanese children tame mice and teach them to dance to music. Explorers in the Antarctica have kept penguins as pets. Many rural Indians keep mongooses while cormorants are common pets in China. Lizards, snakes, turtles, frogs, snails, monkeys and insects are also kept as pets by people.

Bill Clinton was very fond of his pet dog Buddy and wept in public after Buddy met with an accident. Actor Salman Khan is very fond of his Neopolitan Mastiff. Fashion designer Mandira Wirk lives with her 5 dogs.

In conclusion

Thus keeping pets is a wonderful way of bonding and it enhances the pleasure of building a relationship with some of the most beautiful creatures of nature. The innocence of animals and their ability to love makes them special. Human beings want to be a apart of their world, to connect with them in a mysterious and powerful way that will strengthen and nurture both humans and animals. So go ahead and bring home a little creature and enjoy a rewarding experience.  

September 10, 2006

Images under license with Gettyimages.com

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