The benefits of Animal Assisted Interventions

This the last in this series of three blogs exploring Animal Assisted Interventions and this week I shall be considering the benefits for the clients who undertake interventions involving animal support.Such benefits can be gained through passive as well as active interactions. 

Passive interventions can be simply described as spending time near an animal. Bente's research published in 2013 found that even being near an animal can or will produce feelings of relaxation, lower blood pressure and lower the heart rate.

An active intervention is a hands on animal session and may include the client being involved in the feeding, watering, cleaning, exercising or other basic care and may include more complex tasks such as calculating and preparing the correct amount of feed for each animal. Clients that visit a farm regularly or attend other animal sessions will likely develop positive relationships with the animals. The development of these connections supports the client further as they experience a reduction of their levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and through activation of their oxytocin system, reduces feelings of anxiety, depression and loneliness. It is known that oxytocin plays a part in strengthening the bond between mothers and babies but it can also reinforce the bond between humans and animals. 

Bente's research also showed that spending time with animals has been found in many cases to support children with their emotional and cognitive development and their fine and gross motor skills. It can also improve concentration and motivation for children and adults alike. For those experiencing physical and mental illnesses, time spent with animals can aid the healing process and speed up recovery times. You will recall that in an earlier blog I described how many medieval monastic hospitals had gardens (with animals) attached to them for use by both the patients and the monks so this is not a new idea!

I hope you've enjoyed this deeper dive into the world of animal assisted interventions. This week I'm attending the online Oxford Real Farming Conference Global 2021 so I look forward to sharing my highlights with you next week.