4 Popular Therapy Animals
Many people require different kinds of assistance in order to complete daily tasks in life. Some people cannot live independently without the services of people and specially trained pets. Others simply benefit from a visit with an animal that provides them with a sense of calm and relaxation. Therapy animals provide this special service to people.
Not to be confused with a service dog or an emotional support pet, therapy animals are socialized and trained to provide comfort and affection to people in various stressful environments. Therapy animals are most commonly seen in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and disaster areas, and are classified as one of three types: therapeutic visitation animals, animal-assisted therapy animals, and facility therapy animals.
The most common kind of therapy animal is a therapeutic visitation animal. These are often pets that go to various places, such as detention facilities, to visit with people who may miss their own pets, but return home with their owner at the end of the day. All kinds of animals are utilized as therapy animals but regardless of the species, they typically go through a veterinarian’s assessment, have received basic training, and have been screened to ensure they do well with people. Therapy animals are not protected by any federal laws, but some states have their own laws to grant rights to the owners and their pets. Vests, collars, registration, and other services are available through the National Service Animal Registry.
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