Emotional support animals offer symptomatic relief of psychiatric disabilities

Contributed by Christina Fournier, FRN Administrative Coordinator

"A pet is an island of sanity in what appears to be an insane world. Friendship retains its traditional values and securities in one's relationship with one's pet. Whether a dog, cat, bird, fish, turtle, or what have you, one can rely upon the fact that one's pet will always remain a faithful, intimate, non-competitive friend -- regardless of the good or ill fortune life brings us."

-Dr. Boris Levinson, child psychologist

Many of us obtain a calming effect from the presence of animals, whether it is from petting a dog or cat, watching fish swim, or listening to birds sing. Relaxation CDs feature a multitude of animal sounds to assist you in your journey to your tranquil place. Animals can help ease the symptoms for people who live with a variety of mental, emotional, and physical disabilities. Fish, birds, ‘pocket pets,’ rabbits, cats, dogs, and horses have all been employed as emotional support animals.

“Advocates and professionals have long recognized the benefits of assistive animals for people with physical disabilities, including seeing-eye dogs or hearing dogs that are trained to perform simple tasks, such as carrying notes and alerting their owners to oncoming traffic or other environmental hazards. Recent research suggests that people with psychiatric disabilities can benefit significantly from assistive animals, too. Emotional support animals have been proven extremely effective at ameliorating the symptoms of these disabilities, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, by providing therapeutic nurture and support.”  Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law

There is a strong bond that can occur between people and animals. An animal is nonjudgmental and can provide instant unconditional love and attention. They are trusting and great listeners who can help us feel needed and important. Animal therapy in a mental health setting can help build a rapport between the therapist and the consumer.

Below are a few organizations, including Fellowship Health Resources, that support the use of animals in the management of mental illness:

• FHR Cape Cod & Islands region welcomes Binnie and the G Hounds in to their Lagoon Heights location on a monthly basis.  Each month Binnie Ravich and her three dogs, a greyhound named Gulliver, and two dachshunds named Gracie and George, visit residents for treats and belly rubs.  Staff member Kathy Noonan says "Our consumers love the time they are able to spend with the dogs.  Their visits truly brighten everyone's day."
• FHR Maine spends one day a month making homemade dog treats in their day program.  Each resident takes a turn measuring ingredients, mixing and rolling the dough and cutting out the shapes.   Staff cooks the treats and, in the afternoon, the program visits the Bangor Humane Society to spend time with the animals waiting for homes.  Consumers pet the cats and dogs and enjoy giving the dogs the treats they have made for them.
• The Southern Delaware Therapeutic and Recreational Horseback Riding, Inc. mission is to provide equine-assisted therapy promoting the physical, emotional, and educational growth of children and adults with special needs in our community. Therapeutic riding may lead to increased self-esteem, a sense of normalcy, improved self control and increase in interest in social activities.
• The Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, states that landlords must adapt their “no pet policy” to allow for psychiatric service animals. Individuals who live with an animal are able to receive the therapeutic benefits on an ongoing, continuous basis. The Psychiatric Service Dog Society provides information on the use of service dogs to assist with the management of serious mental health symptoms. According to their web site, service dogs assist in the management of PTSD, Bipolar Disorder, Depression, OCD, Schizophrenia, Panic Disorder, Dissociative Identity, Social Phobia, and Agoraphobia. A table is also available, which identifies tasks that the dogs can be trained to do to assist their owners; these tasks include hallucination discernment, tactile stimulation, threat assessment, and alerting to incipient anxiety or panic attack.
• The Delta Society offers individuals a multitude of information on service animals. The site give tips on what to consider if you are thinking about getting a service animal and links to other resources on the topic of service animals.