One of my favorite activities is throwing the squeaky ball in the yard and laughing while my sweet Tilly girl takes off after it like a speeding train with her brother, Buliwyf taking off after her! It brings joy to my heart. On the flip side, when I am sad, angry, frustrated, anxious or just restless, petting my fur babies and just having them near me eases these emotions. A sense of calm and comfort blankets me.

Specifically, benefits fall under 5 key themes:

• Emotional: They can help us reduce agitation and anxiety, provide comfort, security and boost mood

• Cognitive: They can help spark memories involving their past adventures (or misadventures), and help us to stay present by engaging in the “here and now”
• Physical: Pet care increases movement (walking, grooming, etc) and can lower blood pressure and heart rate
• Social: Pets foster connections with others and reduce isolation, especially in situations where words become difficult. An animal’s presence offers judgment-free companionship and tactile enrichment.
• Routine & Purpose: Helping to feed, brush or talk to and cuddle pets provides a sense of purpose and may be incorporated as a soothing component of their routine.

• Decreased agitation and aggression (9 of 15 studies)
• Increased social interaction (11 of 12 studies)
• Enhanced quality of life in some cases (3 of 4 studies)
• Improved activity levels and dietary intake in some individuals

• Early stages may benefit from pet ownership or therapy animal visits.
• Middle stages may be geared more toward supervised pet visits coupled with introduction of robotic pets.
• Late stages’ main focus is robotic pets or plush animals.

• The right pet: Some prefer dogs or cats and others may gravitate toward such pets as birds or rabbits.
• Consistency: It’s beneficial to schedule pet activities on the same days and timeframes to foster routine.
• Monitor engagement: Some may enjoy pets and animals more than others, and that should be respected. Make sure pets and/or animal therapies bring comfort, not stress.