Better Than Snake Oil - How Animals Can Truly Improve Your Health

If I were to tell you that I can offer you a product with the following benefits, what do you think it would be worth? It can:

Reduce the loneliness of residents in long-term care facilities

Increase the activities of daily living of seniors

Increase social and verbal interactions in nursing homes

Reduce, in a statistically significant way, everyday stress, loneliness and isolation

Lower blood pressure, especially at work

Reduce the number of physician visits

Lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels

Increase survival rates following coronary heart disease

Decrease medication costs by more than 50%

Cause its owner to exercise more

Help adults be more resistant to stress and have fewer health complaints

Reduce depression and stress in people with autoimmune disorders

Help people feel less afraid of being a victim of crime

Help children adjust better to the serious illness and death of a parent

Develop nurturing behavior in children

Increase empathy and prosocial orientation for young and adult humans

Increase the self esteem and cognitive development of children

Increase family happiness and fun

Decrease stress during a child's visit to a doctor or dentist

Increase the activity level of children in sports, hobbies, clubs or chores

Improve the prosocial behaviors of autistic children and

Reduce the frequency of allergic rhinitis and asthma.

What do you think? Would you see this product as a sound investment? Well, all of the claims above have been documented and supported by more than one study. And the "product"? Companion animals - family pets. Yep, Rover and Fluffy. But you knew that already. You knew the creature waiting for you to come home, and who delights in going for a walk with you, is your dedicated dog. You knew the critter that can be counted on to curl up with you when you have the cramps from Krypton is your mellow minou.

So why isn't a dose of doggie and a case of cats being prescribed by every Nurse Practitioner and dispensed by every Pharmacist? Actually, increasingly, it is. Hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, prisons and schools in North America are continuing to welcome non-human, vet-approved animals. It isn't just that the pets provide a more comforting environment - though this in itself is enough for pastoral people like me.

Animal-assisted therapy is also economically beneficial - people who have had the opportunity to interact with good-natured creatures during their recovery, improve more quickly - both physically and psychologically.

Colleges and Universities are unleashing a variety of new pet-related programs. Concordia University (Nebraska) offers Pet Therapy - a chance to play with pets - as part of their Student Services. The University of Alberta is offering an "Animals and Society" course (AN SC 120). It takes an in-depth look at the relationship between companion animals and human health and wellness.

But me, I like the way U of A health education co-ordinator Judy Hancock puts it. "If you're sitting on the floor with a big old golden retriever on your lap, you're not thinking about anything else. Your worries and concerns just vanish for a minute; it's a break. It's important and it doesn't take that much time."

Jan Carrie Steven, MA, RSW, is Chaplain, Volunteer, Counselor and Small Business Person.

Visit her websites and columns:
http://www.smallthings.ca - http://www.basic-counseling-skills.com

Jan has a passion for small churches, shelter pets, counseling or visiting with lonely people, and her arts, books, crafts and delights shop called "Small Things." Her mission statement and store name is borrowed from Mother Teresa who said: "We can do no great things. Only small things with great love." Jan is a wife to one and mother to five.

Contact her at jan.carrie.steven@gmail.com