Pet Rx: implications for good health

According to Dr. Aaron Ketcher, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, studies reveal that potential health values exist in use of pets in the rehabilitation process. Caution, however, must be taken. Animals are not a cure-all, but they can be urged as valuable complements to service offerings. As presented by AARP Board member Marion Waite, "Pets are good for your health." She goes on to state that pets help reduce stress and blood pressure and speed up recovery from traumatic incidents such as moves, illness, or the death of a loved one (AARP, 1987). Growing understanding of relationships between people and their pets suggests benefits that barely have been tapped. Some forecasters have predicted that one day patients may receive a prescription to obtain a pet as routinely as prescribed medication. Incorporating animals as a therapeutic approach for the development and rehabilitation of special population members can be unique and beneficial. Animal therapy can be a salutary form of rehabilitation if the program is organized, supervised, and implemented in a professional manner. Implementing this approach may result in promoting unconditional acceptance and enhancing the normalization process for special population members.