therapy – pet is love!!

Research with 2,000 people shows that tutors of dogs and cats feel less socially isolated compared to those who do not have animals at home.

They are the best remedy against loneliness and work overload. A survey commissioned by the pet food and pet company Mars Petcare at OnePoll with 2,000 people found that after a month of a cat or dog’s arrival, 75% of them no longer feel alone.

The study found that 33% of respondents describe themselves as “socially isolated” and claim to have only two people they can truly trust. There are a number of factors identified as triggers for this isolation, but there is an excessive dedication to work – 32% of respondents revealed that overtime was detrimental to their personal lives – and the exaggeration in the use of social networks – 25% of people admitted that a large part of their social interactions happen online.

The survey also found that respondents feel alone on average seven days a month, that six out of 10 people present social anxiety and more than 75% avoid complete socialization. In addition, 44% think that the human being is less friendly than it was just five years ago, 75% believe that people are becoming more distant from each other compared to previous generations and one in six respondents admits that they care more with what others think about him than they did five years ago.

However, pets seem to make all the difference: 21% of people who own cats and dogs said they feel alone, compared to 32% of those who do not have pets.

According to Deri Watkins, Mars Petcare Executive, pets can be part of the solution to the growing question of loneliness. “This research shows the tangible difference our canine and feline friends can make in the lives of lonely people.”

§ 82% of animal tutors interviewed felt less alone receiving an animal.

§ 4 out of 5 respondents said the feeling of isolation disappeared 1 month after the pet happened to be a part of their lives.

§ 6 out of 10 people interviewed reported that the pet is their closest companion.

§ 85% of respondents said that their pet makes the home a happier place to live.

§ Over 50% of respondents attribute to pet a new sense of purpose for their lives.

§ 50% of interviewed dog tutors are more likely to talk to people they do not know when they walk with the pet.

§ 62% of respondents who own a dog said they do more exercise.

By Paloma Oliveto
BLOG MAIS BICHOS

Creating a bond with animals enriches our lives and relationships with other humans. Here’s why you should try pet therapy.

The Healing Power of Animals

Pet lovers are more than aware of the special bond they share with their four-legged friend, including how the unconditional love and affection from a pet can alleviate negative emotions. Science supports how connecting with an animal can change our
lives in many ways.

“By observing or interacting with animals, I believe we can glimpse other worlds, worlds beyond our human perception and experience,” said Dr Annie Potts, co-director of the New Zealand Centre for Human-Animal Studies for the University of Canterbury.

“Personally I find this really inspirational. Watching seagulls fly, for example. This is not an experience we can know ourselves, but we can glimpse how this is for another creature, and watching this difference in experience can open our own worlds up to myriad things: compassion towards another being, respect for their abilities, and best of all, we can experience wonder when we truly engage with another species.”

The use of pet therapy, or animal-assisted therapy, is not new. Dr Aubrey Fine, a US specialist in this field, has been using the technique for more than 30 years. However, the applications have grown and adapted over the years. In Liam Creed’s book, A Puppy Called Aero (Hachette, 2009), he describes how he was able to overcome much of the ‘bad behaviour’ associated with his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In Australia, the Delta Society runs a Pet Partners programme where teams of volunteers with specially trained dogs visit hospital and nursing homes.

But it’s not just pets that can enrich our lives. Striking up a bond with so-called ‘farm’ animals can also be rewarding, said author Jeffrey Masson. A former US resident, Masson, who has written several books on the emotional lives of farm animals, now resides in New Zealand. He describes a pig called Piglet who lived on a beach in Auckland and “made the sweetest sounds” during a full moon.

Potts believes there’s also much to learn from our feathered friends. “One of the key things we can learn from [birds] is how to simply enjoy life and not be burdened by our very human concerns such as career and consumerism,” she said.