Man's Best Friend May Also Be His Best Medicine!

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Man's Best Friend May Also Be His Best Medicine

August 9, 2002 SAN ANTONIO (The San Express-News) -- Imprisoned by silence, the child was totally unresponsive at the day-care center. Then Becky Atkinson and her golden retriever walked in. As the other children began to pet the dog, the silent one struggled to move closer. His arms reached out. His mouth began to move. The child not only said his first word, he shouted it: "BEN!"

Debra Biggs, day-care director of San 's Respite Care, says the staff just stood there amazed. Where humans had failed and medicine had floundered, a dog named Ben made a breakthrough. Such miracles are becoming more and more common across the country as animal healers move to the front lines at hospitals, nursing homes and rehab centers.

In the past, many people laughed at the idea. What possible good could come from dogs and cats in a world of procedures and pills? Then studies and statistics began to answer the question. We learned animals can ease stress and lower blood pressure. We found that flinging a Frisbee for Fido helps our physical fitness. We discovered that animals perform many tasks to help the handicapped, facilitate rehabilitation and fight depression. In some cases, pets were even able to penetrate the cloudy consciousness of Alzheimer's patients.

Inspired by the findings, McCulloch, a physician, and Leo K. Bustad, a veterinarian, founded the Delta Society in 1977. According to ellen Elcock, Delta's national therapy director, the group pioneered pets as medical helpers and promoted the human/animal bond. Today, Delta is a leader in animal-assisted activities and animal-assisted therapy. AAA revolves around visits to medical or educational facilities. AAT focuses on animals in rehabilitation programs. There are approximately 6,500 pet-partner teams involved in 50 states and six foreign countries. Some pets are purebreds - but the group isn't exclusive.

Take Otter. When Dottie on discovered him, he was a street mutt raiding garbage cans. She rescued and reformed him. Now, he politely waits to be petted at the Fredericksburg Care Center, where residents such as Chan Kutzer call him "good medicine."

"Long-term residents just light up when pets arrive," says Engler, Fredericksburg's activities director. "They can't have their own pets in a nursing home, so visiting animals fill a real need. They can pet and brush them and get to reminiscing about dogs they used to own. It's a way to get patients to open up."

Delta isn't the only organization visiting such facilities. Therapy Dogs International is another major national group with more than 11,000 canines, 8,500 handlers and several branches in Texas. There also are a number of state organizations such as Therapy Pet Pals of Texas, based in Austin, and a variety of community and church-sponsored groups such as San 's Paws for Service. Most of these organizations rely on dogs. Delta welcomes a menagerie. Cats, rabbits, llamas, horses, goats, donkeys, potbellied pigs, cockatoos, African gray parrots, chickens and guinea pigs can be found on the roster, says Elcock.

Miss Piggy, Teri 's guinea pig, is a favorite at Christus Santa Children's Hospital. Boothe's Chloe, a Himalayan cat with Persian fur and Siamese markings, arrives in her own wicker basket at the Incarnate Word Retirement Home. Boothe says one woman at the home is oblivious to people but reaches out a frail hand to pet the cat.

Chloe is remarkably laid back. Whatever happens, she just hunkers down and purrs. And that's essential for animals in medical situations. They can't hiss at strangers or hide under the hospital bed when somebody drops a dinner tray or noisy equipment turns on.

To become a pro, both ends of the leash - pet and owner - must train. Delta gives owners an eight-hour course. Then the individual must school the pet to be obedient and unflappable.

Paws for Service, affiliated with San 's University United Methodist Church Cares & Concerns Program, also insists on proper training.

"The owners and animals work very hard to be suited for this job," says Virginia Braddock, Paws president. She regularly visits Methodist Hospital's oncology unit with her poodle/Pekinese mix, phine.

One of the hardest things in pet therapy is turning down an animal.

"Everybody thinks their pet is perfect," says Page, one of the certified evaluators who passes on Delta teams before they go out. "Of course, if it's just a matter of needing more training and not a personality problem, the animal can come back and try again."

That's what Otter did. After reverting to street-dog ways and being aggressive, he flunked his first evaluation. on tutored him for hours to turn things around, and the second evaluation went great. Even so, the little dog has big paws to fill. on's previous therapy dog, , was an accomplished healer and once awakened a man from a coma.

" just kept on trying to lift his limp hand with her nose until he responded," on recalls. "I think that's what keeps us going in this work - the inspirational things we see happen with our animals."

I will personally attest to the healing roll loving aninmals can play in the lives of all ages ..... they are just God's little 'furry' angels! MM

Copyright 2002 The San Express-News. All rights reserved.

Martha Murdock, DirectorNational Silicone Implant Foundation | Dallas Headquarters"Supporting Survivors of Medical Implant Devices"4416 Willow LaneDallas, TX 75244-7537