Some most common animals used at therapy animals used by therapists.

It is not uncommon to find people who require assistance and help to deal with their day to day tasks. People with physical, mental, developmental, or age-related problems find it hard to manage to live on their own. Such people highly depend on trained caregivers or pets. While others may benefit from therapeutic riding Virginia or a visit with an animal. Therapy animals are known to offer help to people with a wide range of physical, mental, emotional, psychological, and behavioral issues.

When speaking of therapy animals, most confuse them with emotional support animal or service dog. Therapy animals are trained to offer comfort to people and overcome stress. Therapy animals are common to be seen in hospitals, schools, old age homes, and nursing homes. They can be divided into three types: AAT animals or Animal Assisted Therapy animals, Therapeutic Visitation Animals, and Facility Therapy Animals

Therapeutic visitation animal is one of the most common therapy animals. These therapy animals are pets that are taken to various facilities to cheer people and offer them comfort. At the end of the day, the pets return to their home with their owners. Any animal can be utilized as a therapy animal after it has gone through a thorough veterinary assessment and training session. To ensure the safety of both animals and people, the therapy animals are screened to see whether they are comfortable being around humans or not. Centers offering therapeutic riding near me have horses to provide help to people.

So, let’s find out some of the most commonly used animals as therapy animals.

Therapy Horses

Horses are used as therapy animals treat a wide variety of mental as well as physical issued in humans. They are popularly used in treating children with autism. However big, horses make for excellent therapy animals as they are known to be more responsive to their environment. Horse-assisted therapy is widely used at equine-facilitated psychotherapy centers to treat addict people, veterans, physically impaired patients, Autistic children, and patients with psychological disorders.

Equine assisted therapy may or may not involve riding a horse. Studies have shown that grooming a horse is in itself very therapeutic. Horses are known to mirror human emotions, which makes them an ideal candidate to help people suffering from mental, behavioral, and psychological disorders. Horses also have the ability to teach humans life skills like how to build self-esteem, establish trust, and feel confident.

Therapy Dogs

Dogs are men’s best friends. And when it comes to helping humans find mental peace and comfort, dogs make for an ideal choice. Dogs are our companions and confidants. Their friendly demeanor, helpfulness, obedience, and sensitivity is therapeutic in nature.

Therapy Cats

Cats can be a perfect therapy animal for older people. Although they are not popular as therapy animals like horses and dogs, they can offer comfort and peace to anyone. People who have lost their own pets, children, and elderly can benefit from grooming, patting, and cuddling cats. Moreover, the purring of a cat is known to have various health benefits.