Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT)

Recently, the issue of depression has been gaining a lot of concern worldwide. People from all walks of life, children and adults, the impoverished and the wealthy, are susceptible to depression and there is no single cause nor is there a specific cure proven to be effective 100% of the time. Various treatment methods from prescribed medications to behavior therapy or psychotherapy are used to ease the symptoms; however, each individual case is unique and requires special care. An effective treatment method for the very prominent and serious health issue of depression which is gaining popularity nowadays is: pet therapy. Depression is a major public health problem, but luckily it is easily detected and manageable. It is important to understand

A proven method to make a depression patient more relaxed in a chaotic environment is to have a pet as a distraction. Pet therapy, also known as Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT), is a guided interaction between an individual and a trained animal. A plan is developed with a trainer prior to the beginning of therapy sessions. AAT is more goal-directed than programs known as animal assisted activities (AAA). People most commonly use a dog or a cat, as those allow the most physical interaction, but animals such as fish, guinea pigs, horses, or birds can also be therapeutic given they meet the screening criteria. AAT can take place in a myriad of settings from patient homes, to hospitals, or even rehabilitation centers. While pets are in no way a substitute for medication or talk therapy, they can ease the symptoms of mild to moderate depression in many

Petting an animal releases endorphins, which are neurotransmitters that make people feel good. Working with a therapy dog for about twenty minutes has proven to significantly drops levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, aldosterone, and adrenaline and increase the production of health and social inducing hormones such as oxytocin, endorphins, and dopamine. The process in which pet therapy causes a reduction in a patient’s cardiovascular reactions to stress can be called “contact comfort.” The unconditional bond between the human and animal that forms through touch seems to induce relaxation and reduce anxiety. AAT can be viewed as a psychological treatment, acting almost as a placebo, where patients are made to feel like the animal has curative powers when it really does not. The constant interactions and responsibilities that come with taking care of a pet increase the patient’s nurturing skills and allows them to develop a sense of empathy. Pet therapy eases the symptoms of depression rather than actually eliminating the issue altogether.
Unfortunately, pet therapy is not for everyone and it does have its drawbacks. Owning a pet is similar to having a child to care for and can get to be very expensive with added costs of food and regular doctor appointments. On top of adoption costs, caring for a cat can cost up to $1,000 and dogs almost $1,850 in the first year. Another con is that pet dander is a common