“When I look into the eyes of an animal, I don’t see an animal. I see a living being. I see a friend. I feel a soul.” – A. D. Williams

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Our pets, whether they are dogs, cats, hamsters, goldfish, or birds have the ability to touch something deep within us freeing our empathy, joy, and better selves. They bring us comfort, make us laugh, and get us through difficult times. Our pets are our companions, friends, family members, and sometimes, our therapists.

Pet therapy is defined by healthline.com as: “A guided interaction between a person and a trained animal. It also involves the animal’s handler.” Healthline.com also states: “Its purpose is to help someone recover from, or cope with, a health problem or mental disorder. Also referred to as animal-assisted therapy (AAT), it is a structured set of sessions that helps people reach specific goals in their treatment.”  Although dogs and cats are most commonly used as therapy animals, other animals can be used as well. 
Pet therapy is provided by organizations that utilize the skills of owner/handlers and their pets. For dogs, many groups require they pass the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen Test. This training teaches them basic good manners, including come, sit, stay, " and " down, and how to respond appropriately around other dogs. Through the organization, owner/handlers and their pets visit schools, senior centers, hospitals, libraries, and other facilities where their services are needed. 

The benefits of pet therapy are many. Here are five of them:

Improved Sense of Being Loved
Just being in the presence of a therapy pet can increase the hormone oxytocin. Often referred to as the love drug, oxytocin helps us bond with others and increases our happiness. It is released when we look at a therapy pet and through touch when we engage in the simple action of petting it. Therapy pets also provide unconditional love without judgement or criticism. Their affection knows no bounds, no matter the affliction.
 

Reduced Stress
Many studies have shown that the stress hormone cortisol is reduced when we pet an animal. Therapy pets, especially dogs, also make us feel safer, possibly due to their role as watchdog and protector, thus reducing stress and anxiety. For many students leaving home for the first time and going to college, AAT interventions have helped lower their stress levels, and even, in some instances, helped improve their test scores.
 

Reduced Loneliness
Therapy pets can be cuddled, talked to, walked, and held. In short, they provide companionship to whoever requires it. This closeness to another living thing that is happy to be in the company of humans provides companionship and reduces feelings of loneliness. 
 

Improved Cardiovascular Health
Once again, the simple act of petting can provide another important health benefit. Doing so actually lowers blood pressure, thus reducing the risk factors for heart disease. The American Heart Association credits dogs especially with reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Reduced Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Research has shown that the lives of many who are affected by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be improved by pet therapy, and in a relatively short amount of time. The presence of therapy pets, especially dogs,  reduces anxiety as well as a number of other symptoms in PTSD sufferers. 

“A dog’s ability to read emotions, provide stress relief, and act as a companion can be critical for a patient diagnosed with PTSD, particularly as they work to combat the intrusive symptoms and impairments associated with PTSD and regain control of their life,” according to “Pets & PTSD: How the Human-Animal Bond Complements Treatment for Veterans,” by Nicole Fullerton in Penn Medicine News.

To the above five benefits of pet therapy, we can also add: increased activity, decreased depression, improvement in rehabilitation, and increased happiness, as well as many others. Researchers are constantly finding new ways in which pet therapy is beneficial in improving mental and physical health. 

In Houston, pet therapy is available from Faithful Paws Pet Therapy, Paws for Therapy, Caring Critters, Angel Paws Pet Therapy Ministry, and Tender Loving K-9’s, all of which have web sites, as well as a number of other organizations.