Animal Assisted Therapy
Animals, specifically dogs, can be an integral part of the clinical health care treatment of both children and adults. The systematic use of therapy dogs is attributed to a registered nurse back in the 1970’s, after she noticed how well patients responded to a visiting chaplain and his golden retriever. Over time, other health care professionals noticed the therapeutic effect of animal companionship, such as relieving stress, lowering blood pressure, and raising mood, and the demand for therapy dogs continued to grow. In recent years, therapy dogs have been enlisted to help children overcome speech and emotional disorders. At PSC, visits from therapy dogs are a regular part of the monthly activity and therapy calendars.
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