Zoo Therapy Forum Discussion
So guys it was 1 vote each between Zoo Therapy & Receiving Help so used a random generator to pick our next topic our next topic is Zoo Therapy hope many of you join in on this discussion ill post a question every 2 days so let's get started, shall we?
Objectives
Understanding what zootherapy is and how it can help someone with a disability
Icebreaker: What are your hobbies and what is your favourite thing about them you enjoy most?
Taglist : @creativeOak9590 @purpleHeart16 @PhoenixAsh @RaspberryCup8692 @TheLifeOfKelli @finnthewaffle @1Marg @sympatheticNorth2026
Some of my hobbies are knitting, caring for pets (just cats at the moment) and cooking.
What I enjoy most about knitting is that it keeps me from ruminating...so do the cats really, and I like cooking because the end product is edible, lol.
@RaspberryCup8692 lol good point on the cooking one and awesome hobbies
@RaspberryCup8692 It sounds like you have some really fun hobbies and also you have a great strategy to keep yourself in a positive state of mind. Very clever. I confess I also have cats and find them to be very therapeutic.
@1Marg1
Thank you 1Marg1, what other sorts of hobbies do you have?
My hobbies are social media, playing computer games, and taking pictures. I like taking pictures cause you get to look back at them and remember.
@Leeshalyn aww that's awesome an welcome to our forum discussion do these pretty regular once a topic is done ill post 5 and everyone can vote on the next one then i do that if the votes are level a random generator selects the topic :) taking pics are great and im a gamer myself what games do you generally play?
@CaringBrit
I play on the computer and play a lot of majong and some dominoes
@Leeshalyn cool
@CaringBrit @Leeshalyn
I like mahjong too...I also used to play a game called Guild Wars. I never finished it but I think they are on Guild Wars II now...have either of you played this? I would still like to play this game but my computer isn't good enough at the moment.
@RaspberryCup8692 no but the games i do play are Runescape ESO riders of icarus and wizard 101
@CaringBrit
I have never heard of these games. I play on a site called Pogo. It is board and card games mostly.
@Leeshalyn theyb are awesome games
@CaringBrit
What kind of games are they?
@Leeshalyn MMORGS look them up they are online
our next question then everyone :)
What is zootherapy or animal-assisted therapy? How is that different from therapy animals?
@creativeOak9590 @purpleHeart16 @PhoenixAsh @RaspberryCup8692 @TheLifeOfKelli @finnthewaffle @1Marg @sympatheticNorth2026 @Leeshalyn
if your tagged and you wish to be removed please pm me ty
@CaringBrit
According to various internet sources, some say that zootherapy involves the use of animals as a type of treatment...another site says it involves the animals in diagnoses as well. Dolphins and horses seem popular in this type of therapy. The hope is that interaction with the animals will have some social or cognitive benefit for the patient.
@CaringBrit
It sounds like therapy animals are different in that they usually have more training...(?)
@RaspberryCup8692 yes more training indeed involved for that
@RaspberryCup8692 yes exactly
@RaspberryCup8692 Thank you for this great explanation!
@CaringBrit I really know nothing about zootherapy so I looked it up. " In zootherapy, the animal (whether a dog, cat, rabbit, chinchilla, etc.) serves as an enabler, helping therapists to connect more quickly with the patient." according to this article https://hour.ca/2012/03/15/career-special-zootherapy-four-legged-doctors/
"Zootherapy in theory
Simply put, animal-assisted therapy is a form of alternative therapy performed by a trained and qualified zootherapist. The latter is assisted by an animal to develop, stimulate and maintain the cognitive, physical, psychological and social function of their clients or patients. This type of therapy consists of regular intervention programs offered to the client by the zootherapist. It is a multi-disciplinary approach known to be warm, dynamic, fun and comforting. As creatures that love unconditionally, animals never pass judgment. They welcome people young and old with open arms, knocking down walls between the zootherapist and their client. In addition to providing comfort, the animals are a huge source of motivation." according to this article https://www.mondou.com/en-CA/blog/2017/november/zootherapy-when-animals-help-us
So it sounds like this is a form of therapy that is animal assisted. It is very interesting, I had never heard of this before.
@1Marg1
That is a great explanation 1Marg1, I can see how working with an animal would be motivating if a person is able to connect to them more easily than with other people.
@1Marg1 it is indeed interesting for sure
@CaringBrit
I have no idea! I have heard of equine therapy. I'm not sure if that is part of it.
i have been feeding the 'little critters' (skunks and racoons) in my neighborhood since last October... they were starving, and small and skinny... they would not have survived the winter without my help. when i looked into their pleading eyes, my heart melted. then this spring distemper swept thru the community. i don't know how many babies were lost, but something took many of the mothers, because little ones too young to be weaned started showing up on my porch... i fed them all. i am spending more than i can afford (on dry dog food) to get them grown up and fattened up for this winter. they have gradually come to accept me. from being panic stricken little victims, to alert and cautious (which they NEED to be), the change warms my heart. i feel like i am worth something to some one; it is a wonderful feeling to be needed and ABLE to help~! they have given me, easily, as much as i have given them.
@GusteeMoon123 aww is that in response to this forum discussion as the current q asks what zootherapy is etc
@CaringBrit
just because an animal is not 'domesticated' and living in your house, does not make it any less of a person. so for me, caring for the little critters is just as rewarding as you petting your cat, or riding a horse. so yah, i think it fits in Zootherapy.
@GusteeMoon123 true point
@GusteeMoon123 What a truly touching and heartwarming story. I am so grateful to you for sharing this.
next q everyone
When you think of zootherapy, what sorts of animals come to mind that can help you?
@creativeOak9590 @purpleHeart16 @RaspberryCup8692 @TheLifeOfKelli @finnthewaffle @1Marg @sympatheticNorth2026 @Leeshalyn @GusteeMoon123
@CaringBrit
When you think of zootherapy, what sorts of animals come to mind that can help you?
When I think of zootherapy, the first animals that come to mind are horses, dolphins, elephants and hippos.
For many years I have heard of dolphins and horses being used in therapy...I don't know if elephants are, but I know they are highly intelligent and apparently when they see a human, their brain activity mirrors a human's when we see a puppy (ie. they think we are cute, lol). I am not sure how hippos fair as zootherapy animals, but I saw them come up when I Googled zootherapy a few days ago.
One of my favourite books when I was a kid was about Koko the gorilla and her kittens (one was named Lipstick). Koko knew sign language and had quite a vast vocabulary. I suspect some gorillas and other primates might be suitable for zootherapy; I wonder if Jane Goodall would think so...
@RaspberryCup8692 awesome post
@RaspberryCup8692 You make some amazing points. You have opened my mind to new possibilities.
@1Marg1 @CaringBrit
Thanks CaringBrit and 1Marg1 ~! :)
@CaringBrit It seems that it could be any animal that a trained zootherapist would want to work with, it can be domesticated animals like dogs and cats in an office environment or more exotic animals like dolphins. Apparently, Dolphin assisted therapy is also called DAT and it is controversial, in terms of whether or not there is any real benefit. https://www.dolphins-world.com/dolphin-assisted-therapy/
Who knew, I always thought swimming with dolphins sounded like a great idea.
@1Marg1 i love dolphins and for sure thats a great response
@1Marg1
I would have loved to have had a cat or dog in the office where I worked. DAT sounds really interesting
@CaringBrit
horses
And dogs
@CaringBrit
i like to run listen to music and watch tv when I run I feel free from life and my problems and music it helps me when I am sad or depressed I like to watch tv
@Emily1256 awesome hobbies and welcome to the discussion :)
@Emily1256 I can just picture that feeling of freedom as you run. And music and watching shows are great ways to enjoy life more.
@Emily1256
Those are great hobbies Emily1256, it's good that you have some things you can rely on to help relieve stress :)
i have always loved animals, but my first real foray into the world of 'pets' was rescuing snakes from pet shops.
most people don't know it, but snakes are very sensitive people. in the wrong conditions they would kill themselves trying to escape. and if not cared for properly, they sicken and die... also, i find them to be very beautiful: their coloring and their sensuous movements. they knew when i was trying to help them. i had at least 30 snakes from various sources, and none of them ever bit me. i took my little rosey boa (the only boa indiginous to the USA) to college with me, and she was a big hit on the quad... 
yes, people had their view of the world changed after holding one of my snake friends.
@GusteeMoon123 im petrified of them but cool on rescuing them
@GusteeMoon123 Wow that sounds really exciting, and I loved hearing about the snake you took with you and it was a big hit. How sweet!
@GusteeMoon123
Animal rescue is really rewarding, I'm glad you could help some of our snake friends.
@CaringBrit Some of my hobbies are gardening, cooking, doting on my pets. I am getting more involved in daily exercise, with my physical therapist's help.
@1Marg1 awesome hobbies marg :) and glad to have you join us :)
@1Marg1
Those are great hobbies 1Marg1, I didn't read far enough before when I asked you what yours were, sorry about that!
Sometimes I have trouble moving around too, every little bit helps :)
@CaringBrit
I enjoy cooking. I love chopping the veggies - it's actually a form of meditation for me because it's relaxing and I have to focus completely because I'm using a sharp knife. I get immediate feedback about the level of knife skills I'm using by seeing the the size and shape of the dice I have made. Cooking let's me be creative and nuturing (by cooking for others). I also get to use my intuition and problem solving skills. (I don't follow recipes much). And, as someone else pointed out, I get to eat what I cook in the end!
@sympatheticNorth2026 aww awesome hobby
@sympatheticNorth2026
Cooking is great...I can see how chopping veggies would be meditative. Glad to have you in the discussion :)
@sympatheticNorth2026
this sounds like a good post for the Mindfulness Daily Check-In~! Yes~! being mindful while cooking is not only wise, but also Rewarding~ to me, our attitude while we are prepping and cooking add flavor to the food~ :)
I liked reading about the Dolphin Assisted Therapy... I still remember the moment i got to touch a 'captive' dolphin, at Marine World in San Francisco, 45 yrs ago~! i remember the feel of it's skin (like a wet suit) and the look in it's eyes (Present and Accounted For~!). I think it knew that it was doing us a favor, as well and enjoying the attention.
@GustyOne4U
That would have been an incredible experience to have...it's something when you have that moment you described, where you knew the dolphin was "present and accounted for," and connect with an animal or sometimes even certain people. I used to have bunnies and sometimes it was hard to tell if they were looking you right in the eye, but when you knew, it was really intense!
