Well, in this instance, we are not at a wildlife zoo; just my own personal one with more domesticated animals.
I have 3 dogs and 1 cat. Let me introduce some of them to you.
The first one is Jigsaw. He is a 5 year old Beagle & Blue-Tick Hound mix. He is extremely affectionate and can do a few tricks. He likes to hop around on his back legs when he wants something like a bone or cookie. He is also spoiled by his father, my husband, who has had him since he was a puppy and born. I came into his life as "Mommy" when he was 2.
The second one is Brownie. She is my 2 year old Boxer. She is the sweetest thing you can ever come across. She has no tail but instead a "nub" and when she is happy, she does a "butt wiggle" dance sideways across the entire house. She has been a cuddle-er since day one when she was only 2 months old. She would curl up to us either on our necks right next to us, or burrow her way under all the blankets and curl up in your legs.
Third picture is of our recent "adoption", Ladybug. She's about 6 or 7 months old and was a rescue from a man who put a gun to her head saying he'd shoot her right then and there if no one took her in. Needless to say, my family did and I'm thankful. She's a handful as she's a puppy. Still working on full potty training (she's stubborn) and very mouthy. We think that she is a cocker spaniel and fox terrier mix. She even has a "Tigger" tail...she's be laying down, see you and practically spring into the air and land all 4 paws on you with a happy tail wagging and give you TONS of kisses.
Lastly, this is Dr. Seuss. He is also known as our "ninja attack cat ". He is only about 1 years old now but we found him when he was just barely 2 weeks old according to the vet. I had to syringe feed him special milk, help him eliminate and take care of him since I found him abandoned. He is like a human baby in so many ways. To this day, he always has to curl up on my chest and purrs away. Oh, and he's definitely a mama's boy.
Now that you have been introduced, let me get to the point of this post. Besides telling you how crowded my house is. Ha ha!
There is a lot of research out there as far as the benefits of animals being service animals. Well, we all know about the guide dogs and such. But, many people do not realize that animals; whether it is a dog, cat or bunny, can be a service animal also. They are then called Psychiatric Service Dogs or Emotional Support Animals (E.S.A's) and Therapy Animals. There is much controversy about this but, I will give you my insight as a person who has 2 children with emotional and mental disabilities, a husband with severe emotional disturbances and myself who has my own "issues for tissues". I will also include some links that give a little more insight into the specifics, some opinions and other links if you wish to look more into it.
Personally, I have always had a pet in my house. Growing up I've had dogs, cats, birds, fish and a hamster at some point. Even when I was young I remember curling up with my animal and crying to it or talking to it and even playing pretend with it. As my children have been growing up, they too have been exposed to pets in the home. Almost everyone in my family has a pet of some sort.
Personally, my experience is special. I've had my ups and downs. i was diagnosed with Bipolar Disease in my early 20's only to recently find out it was an incorrect diagnosis. Sometimes it takes the right questions to get the right answers. I have Borderline Personality Disorder with Bipolar tendencies with Generalized Anxiety. When things get bad, I know I can curl up with my furry friend and just sit there. I'm not expected to explain myself, talk or do anything but just sit there. I always pet them because it shows love, gives me something else to focus on and the positive responses I receive back are the best things in the world. My boxer, Brownie, always knows when I'm either physically ill or just emotionally stressed.
My son, who is Autistic, loves the tactile response of the animals and has learned communication, empathy and even responsibility thanks to them. He has a job here at home of helping feed the dogs. This is something we incorporated into his daily routine as a schedule and he enjoys it. It is one of the few things he remembers to do everyday.
While, I believe that more research and more opportunities should be more pronounced for individuals, I think for now, we are doing alright. People get pets to quiet their kids and to be like the good ole' Brady Bunch family. Little do they know that they are helping themselves and other family members learn a thing or 2 about themselves and the responsibility of another living thing. And, the added benefit that having a furry companion as emotional support is just that, an enjoyable, silent bonus.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread7204.html
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/psychotherapies/index.shtml
http://www.everydayhealth.com/longevity/emotional-wellness/pet-therapy.aspx
I have 3 dogs and 1 cat. Let me introduce some of them to you.
The first one is Jigsaw. He is a 5 year old Beagle & Blue-Tick Hound mix. He is extremely affectionate and can do a few tricks. He likes to hop around on his back legs when he wants something like a bone or cookie. He is also spoiled by his father, my husband, who has had him since he was a puppy and born. I came into his life as "Mommy" when he was 2.
The second one is Brownie. She is my 2 year old Boxer. She is the sweetest thing you can ever come across. She has no tail but instead a "nub" and when she is happy, she does a "butt wiggle" dance sideways across the entire house. She has been a cuddle-er since day one when she was only 2 months old. She would curl up to us either on our necks right next to us, or burrow her way under all the blankets and curl up in your legs.
Third picture is of our recent "adoption", Ladybug. She's about 6 or 7 months old and was a rescue from a man who put a gun to her head saying he'd shoot her right then and there if no one took her in. Needless to say, my family did and I'm thankful. She's a handful as she's a puppy. Still working on full potty training (she's stubborn) and very mouthy. We think that she is a cocker spaniel and fox terrier mix. She even has a "Tigger" tail...she's be laying down, see you and practically spring into the air and land all 4 paws on you with a happy tail wagging and give you TONS of kisses.
Lastly, this is Dr. Seuss. He is also known as our "ninja attack cat ". He is only about 1 years old now but we found him when he was just barely 2 weeks old according to the vet. I had to syringe feed him special milk, help him eliminate and take care of him since I found him abandoned. He is like a human baby in so many ways. To this day, he always has to curl up on my chest and purrs away. Oh, and he's definitely a mama's boy.
Now that you have been introduced, let me get to the point of this post. Besides telling you how crowded my house is. Ha ha!
There is a lot of research out there as far as the benefits of animals being service animals. Well, we all know about the guide dogs and such. But, many people do not realize that animals; whether it is a dog, cat or bunny, can be a service animal also. They are then called Psychiatric Service Dogs or Emotional Support Animals (E.S.A's) and Therapy Animals. There is much controversy about this but, I will give you my insight as a person who has 2 children with emotional and mental disabilities, a husband with severe emotional disturbances and myself who has my own "issues for tissues". I will also include some links that give a little more insight into the specifics, some opinions and other links if you wish to look more into it.
Personally, I have always had a pet in my house. Growing up I've had dogs, cats, birds, fish and a hamster at some point. Even when I was young I remember curling up with my animal and crying to it or talking to it and even playing pretend with it. As my children have been growing up, they too have been exposed to pets in the home. Almost everyone in my family has a pet of some sort.
Personally, my experience is special. I've had my ups and downs. i was diagnosed with Bipolar Disease in my early 20's only to recently find out it was an incorrect diagnosis. Sometimes it takes the right questions to get the right answers. I have Borderline Personality Disorder with Bipolar tendencies with Generalized Anxiety. When things get bad, I know I can curl up with my furry friend and just sit there. I'm not expected to explain myself, talk or do anything but just sit there. I always pet them because it shows love, gives me something else to focus on and the positive responses I receive back are the best things in the world. My boxer, Brownie, always knows when I'm either physically ill or just emotionally stressed.
My son, who is Autistic, loves the tactile response of the animals and has learned communication, empathy and even responsibility thanks to them. He has a job here at home of helping feed the dogs. This is something we incorporated into his daily routine as a schedule and he enjoys it. It is one of the few things he remembers to do everyday.
While, I believe that more research and more opportunities should be more pronounced for individuals, I think for now, we are doing alright. People get pets to quiet their kids and to be like the good ole' Brady Bunch family. Little do they know that they are helping themselves and other family members learn a thing or 2 about themselves and the responsibility of another living thing. And, the added benefit that having a furry companion as emotional support is just that, an enjoyable, silent bonus.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread7204.html
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/psychotherapies/index.shtml
http://www.everydayhealth.com/longevity/emotional-wellness/pet-therapy.aspx