Who’s a sweet boy? Gus is! Just one reason to actually like going to the vet. Image found on Searcy Animal Clinic.
After this past week, I have even more respect for working and/or therapy animals. Sure, Gus wasn’t able to calm Luke down when we had to go to the vet’s office, but he does an awful lot of good in the waiting room at the clinic. Whether it’s keeping kids entertained and occupied or soothing nervous animals, Gus is a hardworking cat. (And yep, the furry one is much better now, and still has a few days of antibiotics left for his kidney infection. If I’m lucky he’ll forgive me in a week or so.)
Audi is the calmest of the Martin girls, so is perfect for therapy. Photo by Philip Martin found on Arkansas Living.
My co-worker and friend Karen got one of her three dogs, Audi (her sisters are Paris and Dublin), certified as a therapy dog and often spends time on weekends taking Audi wherever she’s needed to bring comfort to whoever needs it. What better way to feel better is there than fuzzy-belly therapy? Nothing as far as I’m concerned.
Luke isn’t calm enough around strangers to be a therapy cat, but this sweetie is. Image found on ParklandOnline.
Anything that can make a hospital stay more bearable is worth a little dander. Image by Jeff Krausse found on Huffington Post.
Even kangaroos can provide comfort. Image found on L.A. Unleashed blog (Los Angeles Times).
Yep, ducks do therapy too … I don’t know if they all wear toupees though … Image found on Tractor Supply Co.
I now have an inexplicable urge to smooch a llama. Image by Jen Osborne found on Slate.
I’ve got a bit of a cold right now, but I’ll spare you the “little hoarse” jokes. Image found on JournalStar.
Such bliss can come from hugging something fuzzy. Image found on USA Hagen.
You know that saying, “Everything’s better with bacon”? Maybe that should be “bunnies.” Image found on AL.com.
Of course, for me, there’s nothing more therapeutic than this guy. 🙂
Poor Luke. I’m glad he’s feeling better. I enjoyed the photos of therapy pets. My dad really missed his cat when he was in the nursing home, but we weren’t able to take him back home to pet her. It broke my heart, and I wish a therapy cat or dog had been available for him.
Right now he’s trying to sit on my hands. I would have thought he would avoid me for at least an hour since I just gave him his medicine, but no. 😀
More nursing homes are starting to see the value in therapy animals, and at least have some scheduled to come in every once in a while. I’ve heard of a few scattered ones where the animals live on-site. If I ever have to go to a home, that’s where I’d want to go.
Arkansas Paws in Prison has placed some dogs in nursing homes. The photos brought tears to my eyes. I’m glad nursing homes are going that route, especially for the live-in pets.
My son and I did that once a few years ago. He was feeling down, so I took him to the kitten room at the Maumelle Animal Shelter. The vet was doing his spay/neuter visit, and the kitten room had about 17 kittens in various stages of anesthesia drunkness. We had kittens totally out, some waking up and falling out of the little beds, tripping in the water bowl, walking into walls. John and I had a blast making sure they didn’t drown in the water bowl or stay stuck too long at a wall or hurt themselves falling out of the beds. We must have stayed two hours, and that was the best therapy ever.
It’s been heartening to read that more and more hospitals around here are allowing therapy animals. I know if I were hospitalized or otherwise confined in some way, I’d love being visited by these animals (and maybe, hopefully, my own pets).
It makes such a difference! Karen’s taken Audi to nursing homes, and she says the residents are just taken to another place when they hold Audi and the other animals. Anything that can make you feel better, even if for just a few minutes, is good for your health and peace of mind.
I'm a retiree in his seventies. That may not be significant to many, since there is a bunch of us Baby Boomers around. However, in the year 2,000, when I received a diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma, I expected to be dead in three to five years.
Okay, I can see a therapy llama or pony, but a therapy DUCK? That’s one step short of a therapy snake.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I saw one of those too, but snakes aren’t fuzzy and cute … just creepy.
There are also therapy chickens and donkeys. 🙂
LikeLike
The therapy animals seem to benefit from doing the therapy also.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think so, especially the dogs.
LikeLike
Poor Luke. I’m glad he’s feeling better. I enjoyed the photos of therapy pets. My dad really missed his cat when he was in the nursing home, but we weren’t able to take him back home to pet her. It broke my heart, and I wish a therapy cat or dog had been available for him.
LikeLike
Right now he’s trying to sit on my hands. I would have thought he would avoid me for at least an hour since I just gave him his medicine, but no. 😀
More nursing homes are starting to see the value in therapy animals, and at least have some scheduled to come in every once in a while. I’ve heard of a few scattered ones where the animals live on-site. If I ever have to go to a home, that’s where I’d want to go.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Arkansas Paws in Prison has placed some dogs in nursing homes. The photos brought tears to my eyes. I’m glad nursing homes are going that route, especially for the live-in pets.
LikeLike
I think animals should always be available. Lord knows I could have used a therapy animal yesterday. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I want to be in a room full of kittens.
LikeLike
YEEEEEESSSSSSS!!!!!!! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
My son and I did that once a few years ago. He was feeling down, so I took him to the kitten room at the Maumelle Animal Shelter. The vet was doing his spay/neuter visit, and the kitten room had about 17 kittens in various stages of anesthesia drunkness. We had kittens totally out, some waking up and falling out of the little beds, tripping in the water bowl, walking into walls. John and I had a blast making sure they didn’t drown in the water bowl or stay stuck too long at a wall or hurt themselves falling out of the beds. We must have stayed two hours, and that was the best therapy ever.
LikeLike
Ohhhh! I have to do that sometime.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Kitten season will soon be upon us!
LikeLike
😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s been heartening to read that more and more hospitals around here are allowing therapy animals. I know if I were hospitalized or otherwise confined in some way, I’d love being visited by these animals (and maybe, hopefully, my own pets).
LikeLike
It makes such a difference! Karen’s taken Audi to nursing homes, and she says the residents are just taken to another place when they hold Audi and the other animals. Anything that can make you feel better, even if for just a few minutes, is good for your health and peace of mind.
LikeLike