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AnimalInfluenceBy Chris Hayhurst

The boy, a sixth grader at LakeviewElementary School in Albert Lea, Minn.,was in trouble—again. In the past, he'd had

difficulty controlling his emotions at school.He'd often become flustered and angry. Andnow it was happening again.

As the boy's temper began to flare, he rosefrom his seat. He walked up to his teacher andreached into his pocket. And then, he did it: Hehanded her a ticket.

"It's a way for him to cope when he feelsupset," explains the school's social worker, KimAnderson. "Instead of using words, he just givesthat ticket to his teacher, and he can leave to gosee Poet."

Poet? "He's my dog," says Anderson. "Agolden retriever." Poet, in fact, is a registeredtherapy dog. And he goes to a job every day, justlike Anderson does. (When he's not working,

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From trained therapydogs to common housepets, animals can helpus in many ways.

Poet lives with Anderson on her farm. He lovescats and playing fetch.) So when the boy usedhis ticket that particular day. Poet did his jobperfectly. "I have this quiet corner in my officewith beanbag chairs," says Anderson. "And sothe boy came in and sat down, and Poet wentright over to him." The boy wrapped his armsaround the dog, and the licks started coming."Within 10 seconds," says Anderson, "he wassmiling. Within 15 minutes, he was able [to dis-cuss] the situation and talk about his feelingsand return to class."

Poet's ability to heal—in this case, to help anupset kid to relax and talk—comes as no sur-prise to animal experts such as Gail Melson."There is very good evidence that being with acalm and friendly dog lowers blood pressure andreduces feelings of stress," says Melson, a psy-chologist and researcher at Purdue University."And when we reduce the stress in our lives,we're healthier." Well-behaved pets and trainedtherapy animals have the same effect, she says."The animal doesn't really need to do anything.

A Minnesota student feels thehealing power of Poet.

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It's their presence that matters."Some libraries have dogs that sit with chil-

dren as they read aloud, says Melson. "Whenyou ask a 9-year-old to read a poem, that can bestressful. Especially with a teacher there listen-ing. Animals don't ask anything of you. There'sthat feeling of unconditional acceptance." Housepets have a similar influence, she says. "Theyprovide much of the same emotional and socialsupport that we get from having people in ourlives, like friends and family, who are close tous. We can't say that if you get sick a pet willhelp you recover faster. But it may make thingseasier. And in some respects, it may do a betterjob than a person."

Grace H. and Eliza L., 10-year-old friendsand fifth graders in Lakeville, Conn., canattest to that. Both girls have pet dogs. Eliza'sEnglish springer spaniel, which she received asa birthday present when she was 5, is namedEreckley. Eliza doubts Ereckley would make agood therapy dog—"he spooks easily and getsscared"—but she says he does a great job ofmaking her happy.

"When I don't feel good or if I'm sad," shesays, "he'll come over and lick me all over andmake me laugh."

Grace has had similar experiences with herdog, Eiona, a big mastiff-boxer-coonhound mix.One of Grace's favorite activities is swimmingwith Eiona in the lake by her house. "She's sofun to be around. She has so much energy and

'We can't say that if

you get sick a pet will

help you recover faster.

But it may make things

easier. And in some

respects, it may do a

better job than

a person. ' — Gall Melson

always wants to play, and so she keeps me upand running." Like Ereckley, Eiona is prettygood when it comes to helping out on a sickday. "If I'm not feeling well," says Grace, "she'llcome over and sit on me and make me warm.That always makes me feel better."

There is an actual physical explanation forwhy Eiona and Ereckley can make people feelbetter.

"When you're with a loving animal," saysAubrey Eine, "real biological changes takeplace." It doesn't matter whether it's a dog,a cat, or even a pet lizard, notes Eine. He isan animal therapy expert and psychologist atCalifornia Polytechnic State University.

If you're in a comfortable setting and ananimal shows you affection, the effects willmost likely be positive. Specifically, a person'sheart rate can slow, and he or she will produceless stress hormones. He or she will feel hap-pier thanks to a rise in certain brain chemicals.Healthy changes happen because of the emo-tional bonds we experience with animals, saysEine. "Whether it's a trained therapy dog oryour pet, it's that connection that matters."

Horse HelpMaking that human-animal connection isthe point at EQUI-KIDS Therapeutic RidingProgram in Virginia Beach, Va. There, horseshelp kids with special needs. Many of the chil-dren have autism. Down syndrome, cancer, or

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blood disorders. There are also kids with emo-tional or learning problems, explains programdirector Kathy Chitwood.

The program uses 16 highly trained horses,says Chitwood. The smallest is a pony the sizeof a big dog, while the largest is a draft horse—a breed so strong it's often used to pull plowsacross fields. When kids come to ride, they doso with the help of several assistants. "Side walk-ers" offer support for each child from the groundon either side of the horse. Another person leadsthe horse by its reins. And then there's a physicaltherapist, an occupational therapist, or a speechtherapist—a health-care professional who guidesthe child through special exercises tailored to hisor her needs.

For a child accustomed to being in a wheel-chair, says Chitwood, sitting on a horse as it'sled around a ring creates the sensation of walk-ing. Riding also builds confidence and corestrength, she says. And for autistic kids espe-cially, time with a horse improves their abilityto respond to directions and to express theiremotions. "One man told us he'd never seen hisson smile before," says Chitwood. "And then hecame here and rode on a horse and he smiled—for the first time." CH

! - , - y -

BunkyBunky isa big animalwith a big mission—toheal veterans sufferingfrom post-traumaticstress disorder (PTSD) and other wounds ofwar. An anxiety disorder, PTSD often occursin soldiers who have had stressful, traumaticexperiences during wars. (Many other peoplecan also experience PTSD, but soldiers areparticularly hard hit by the condition.)

Bunky the buffalo lives on a Texas ranch,where soldiers and their families visit to getsome rest from their troubles. Even though hemay seem to be an unlikely candidate, Bunky'sjob is just like that of a therapy dog or horse.He stands calmly while people pet or feedhim. Bunky doesn't have to do much but behimself, and people are all smiles.

For more information about Bunkyand his therapy dog colleagues, visittinyurl.com/5sthrzj.

For More InformationDelta Society (therapy, service,and companion animals):www.deltasociety.org

Professional Association ofTherapeutic Horsemanship International(equine-assisted therapy):www.pathintl.org

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