In a previous journal entry, I talked about the iffy conditions at a local petting zoo. Today, I want to talk about how petting animals and interacting with them can help us in a lot of ways.

Research indicates that interacting with animals increases the levels of serotonin, a hormone in humans that contributes to the emotional well-being of people. It's a well-known fact that many hospitals conduct animal-assisted therapy (AAT) and animal-assisted activities (AAA) to help improve patients' conditions and recovery.

The articles below describe how animals help in clinical situations:
Some Patients Petting Their Way to Improved Mental Health
Animal-Assisted Therapy
News-Medical.Net

Just the other day, I was talking to a man on the street with a calm and friendly dog. He told me that he has been training his dog to become a therapy dog. I wasn't surprised, looking at the temperament of the dog - calm and well-behaved, in spite of being still very young (near the end of its puppy stage). As I was talking with the man, I thought to myself, "Boy, there is no way my barky dog can become a therapy dog even if she looks adorable. My dog is very good at scaring people away..."

The benefits of interacting with animals are probably limitless. You may feel less lonely with animals. You can be more communicative. If you have dogs, you may make friends who also have their pets. You can teach children how to take good care of animals, which will help them learn the importance of kindness and responsibility. And so on...

My mother didn't like animals. She kept complaining about how animals smell and make big messes in the house. But she changed as she started interacting with pets. I remember her always petting my cats, and even started taking pictures of them. I bought a baby lovebird one day, and she gradually grew attached to it. Eventually she loved it so much the bird became her pet exclusively. At the end of the day, she always reported to me about what the bird did. I can't help being surprised how pets can uplift people's emotions, just like they did for my mother.

I hope more and more animals and humans will benefit from each other in the future for their well-being. I myself can't imagine my life without my pets. All my pets helped me grow in so many positive ways. I can't thank them enough.