Building Community

Library

We are building a library of books on Animal - human Communication, Animal Assisted Therapy, Healing and Animals and Animals and their abilities. It is now open to the public on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons between 2 and 4pm, or by arrangement.

An Interaction space for Humans and Animals

We offer opportunities to interact with animals in peaceful environment.

Research

F Martin, J Farnum. Animal Assisted Therapy for Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders, West J, Nurs Res 2002 Oct: 24(6): 657-70).

Pets as link-formers in communities

• J Rogers, LA Hart and RP Boltz: The role of pet dogs in casual conversations of elderly adults. The Journal of Social Psychology, 1993.

Interaction with animals is also a way of reaching individuals who are depressed

• K Howell-Newman, RL Goldman: Marketing animal facilitated therapy. Health Mark Q 1993; 11(1-2): 77-98

Animals help socially support breast cancer sufferers and children who are slow learners or whose parents have divorced.

See: The Pet Health Council

Improving interpersonal and family relationships

• Dossey, L. The healing power of pets: A look at animal-assisted therapy. Alternative Therapies 1997, 3, 8-15

• Phear, D. A study of animal companionship in a day hospice. Society for Companion Animal Studies Journal 1997, 9(1), 1-3

Reduced violence, suicides, and drug abuse in prisons and improved relationships between prisoners and staff.

• Ormerod, E. Pet programmes in prisons. Society for Companion Animal Studies Journal 1996, 8(4), 1-3

Helping delinquent adolescents

• Hart, L. A. Dogs as human companions: a review of the relationship. In J. Serpell, ed. The Domestic Dog. Cambridge University Press, England 1995.

Horses help with serious mental illness, criminal behavior, and drug addiction

• McCormick, A., and D. McCormick.. Horse Sense and the Human Heart. Health Communications, Deerfield Beach, Fla. 1997

Schoen, Allen M. DVM/ Proctor, Pam. Love, Miracles and Animal Healing, New York, NY: Simon & Schuster 1995.

Social support of cardiac patients

• E Friedmann, SA Thomas: Pet Ownership, social support and one year survival after myocardial infarction in the Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial, American Journal of Cardiology, 1995.