Animal Assisted Therapy Essay

Not only could this benefit the patients, but this form of treatment can help the dog handlers as well. For people needing volunteer hours, this would be a great outlet. This would also be a solution for the price of the treatment. Many hospitals do not want to enroll this method of treatment simply because it is a big undertaking by the hospital. Not only is there the insurance for the dogs, but also the upkeep of the dog, paying handlers, and caring for the dogs. If hospitals began employing volunteer handlers and their dogs, this would no longer be a large issue. Because the handler is the owner of the dog, they would be the ones to care for them, there would be no expense to employ the handlers because they would be volunteer, and the dogs would go home with the handlers after each shift, so there would be no necessity for the hospital to care for the dogs in any way. This creates a win-win situation for both sides. The hospital gets to initiate a new treatment option for patients making the hospital more diverse and attracting new patients, and the dogs and handlers get a chance to help the
community. Through the use of AAT, we would also be able to better the lives of many animals. On average, 1.5 million shelter animals, 670,000 of them being dogs, are euthanized each year (Pet Statistics 1). If more dogs were being used for AAT, this may encourage more adoption, thus getting dogs out of the shelters and avoiding death. Knowing that a dog was certified to participate in AAT programs, families and individuals may feel more comfortable with the adoption, making it more likely to happen. It would also be a great opportunity for hospitals and animal shelters to partner. An opportunity would be provided for stray dogs to get out of the shelter and become more social. When animals sit in cages for too long, their personality begins to change. They become more hostile and fearing of people. If these dogs were able to participate in AAT, this would prevent this from happening, and increase their chances of being adopted. The use of Animal Assisted Therapy would be an extraordinary addition to today’s doctoral practices.
Not only would it benefit patients, but it would also benefit doctors, the dogs, and the dog handlers. This is an opportunity that could change the lives of millions. By reducing the amount of medication distributed, we can reduce the harmful side effects that they have on both the patients and their families. It also provides an alternative to patients who fail to see improvements through the use of medications. Aside from medication reduction, the use of animals can help the overall wellbeing of all. They are able to reduce blood pressure, improve survival rate, and increase overall happiness in those that surround them. For these reasons, we should begin implementing the use of Animal Assisted Therapy in long term medical facilities around the
world.