THE FURRY PILL: AN EXPLORATION OF ANIMAL-ASSISTED THERAPY AND ANIMALS’ EFFECTS ON HUMANS

My senior year in high school all of us enrolled in International High School were required to write a research paper, or ‘Senior Paper’ as part of the International Baccalaureate requirements. The paper was to be 3500-4000 words and include original research. I wrote my paper on the Animal/Human bond and how animals effect humans psychologically and physically. I am quite proud of my work, even though it was a while ago.

The Furry Pill: An Exploration of Animal-

Assisted Therapy and Animals’ Effects on

Humans

Peter St. George

Extended Essay

Project Teacher: Jessica Schabtach

Technical Advisor: Scott Pengelly, Ph.D.

November 20, 2006

Word count- 3,867

Abstract

Subject: Psychology

Title: The Furry Pill: An Exploration of Animal-Assisted Therapy and Animals’ Effects on Humans

Throughout humanity, man has been connected with animals. What started off as a means of nutriment evolved into an emotional and practical symbiotic relationship. The psychological and physical effects we as humans receive from animals are numerous, and in many cases life-altering. This paper explores this relationship through the route of Animal-Assisted Activities and Therapy (AAA/T), and attempts to explain why humans are so greatly affected by animals.

Are animals useful as therapy aids, and if so, how and why?

In answering this question, I conducted interviews and read books devoted to Animal-Assisted Therapy and the bond between animals and humans. Among those I interviewed were a veterinarian, psychologist, AAA/T dog handler, and the life enhancement director of an Alzheimer’s and dementia assisted living center. I also explored scholarly studies that attempted to prove or disprove the use of AAA/T in both controlled and uncontrolled situations. My research helped me to conclude that animals are a positive and useful form of therapy, and they should be available to aid health care providers in the treatment of patients. Not everyone is positively and greatly affected by animals, but animals should be an option for people undergoing medical and emotional hardships.

INTRODUCTION

One of the most lucrative industries in America is pharmaceutical production. Billions of dollars are spent annually on research for depression medication alone, and even more is spent on the consumption of these drugs. Drugs such as Paxil and Prozac serve to alter the mind’s state, and change the way a person views life. Wouldn’t it be amazing, then, if the pill we actually needed was without side effects or the risk of an altered state of mind? What if it was incredibly topical, and didn’t need to be injected into the body? Well, the pill is here, and, as a matter of fact, is gazing at me with piercing blue eyes, waiting for a handout.

Over the past few decades, pets have become increasingly popular. Sixty-three percent of all households in America now have a pet of one kind or another, as opposed to fifty-six percent in 1988 (www.appma.org). This fad is also apparent in Hollywood, where pets have become accessories. One just has to watch a red carpet affair to see Paris Hilton or Jennifer Lopez snuggling with their small and disgustingly cute dogs. This may be a new trend, but it is definitely not a new idea. As far back in the past as history allows us to look, there has been a strong bond between humans and animals. Roman writer Plutarch wrote of “wealthy strangers at Rome, carrying up and down with them in their arms and bosoms young puppy dogs and monkeys, embracing and making much of them” (Serpell, 1996). It is also known that Native Americans kept raccoons as pets, “domesticated and fed in the house…constantly pestering people it knows and…follow[ing] them with great affection” (Serpell, 1996).

It is documented that Greeks also discovered the benefits of the presence of animals, and used them as treatment for a variety of illnesses. In ancient Greek mythology, Asklepios, the son of Apollo, was known as the God of Medicine and the Divine Physician. “Asklepios’ shrine at Epidaurus functioned as a kind of ancient health resort. It attracted crowds of suppliants seeking relief from a great variety of…maladies and, as part of the ‘cure’, provided one of the world’s earliest recorded examples of institutionalized Animal-Assisted Therapy”. “Patients” would sleep within the shrine, and the “God visited each of his patients” (Serpell, 1996), many times in the form of a “snake or a dog which licked the patients on the relevant injured …portions of their anatomy” (Serpell, 1996). This idea of pet therapy did not fade throughout history, but evolved, as we see in ninth century Belgium. “Animals were included in the therapeutic activities of a residential facility for people with disabilities during the ninth century in Gheel, Belgium, and also in the 1790′s in York Retreat in England” (Ptak & Howie, 2004).

Now, with the history and common knowledge that companion animals have positive effects on humans, one would assume that the idea of using pets as therapy aids would be quite a practiced method in today’s medical fields. This, however, is not the case. “The human-animal bond is…relatively new. That terminology has been around for maybe 30 years. [It has] just grown by leaps and bounds” (Dr. J. Boggs, personal communication, October 12, 2006). This resurgence of the idea of Animal-Assisted Therapy is mainly due to one Dr. Leo K. Bustad, DVM, PhD.

Dr. Bustad, former dean of Washington State University College of Veterinarian Medicine, “spent a majority of his adult life devoted to work on the human-animal bond and became known as a pioneer in human-animal bond theory and application” (DeltaSociety.org). One of his major accomplishments was the founding of the Delta Society in 1977, a foundation whose “early years focused on funding the first credible research on why animals are important to the general population and specifically how they affect health and well being” (Deltasociety.org). Also, Dr. Bustad co-founded the People-Pet Partnership at Washington State University, which functioned as “the first university-based community service program on the human-animal bond” (Deltasociety.org).

The main pillar of the Delta Society is Animal Assisted Activities and Therapy, or AAA/T. This includes animal visits to nursing homes or hospitals, as well as animals in waiting rooms, therapist sessions and live-in animals at nursing homes.
The term AAA/T, when referred to in this paper, pertains to the presence of an animal in either controlled or uncontrolled settings. They usually sit on laps, are petted, walked, or played with. The Delta Society has had great success in introducing AAA/T to hospitals and other institutions, but they have been met with a plethora of obstacles. “A number of years ago you could not take a dog, it was … in [the] law, you could not take an animal into a nursing home or to a hospital, their thinking being apparently…zoonotic disease” (Dr. J. Boggs, personal communication, October 12, 2006). Through hard work and dedication, the Delta Society broke down these barriers. However, in many hospitals, animals must be certified with an organization such as the Delta Society to perform therapeutic services. This certification usually involves a written test by the AAA/T handler, as well as skill and aptitude tests for the animal.

Presently AAA/T it is not a widely accepted form of therapy. Many people just aren’t sure that animals can be relied on for such important work; others aren’t sure of the practicality. The following research paper tackles these issues, and attempts to answer these queries in the form of: Are animals useful as therapy aids, and if so, how and why?

I propose that animals are a positive and useful form of therapy, and they should be available to aid health care providers in the treatment of patients. To analyze this topic and explore the effectiveness of therapy animals, stories and studies of positive and negative effects of animals and AAA/T are included. Also, conclusions are drawn from why humans are affected by animals.

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WHY ARE HUMANS AFFECTED BY

ANIMALS?

It is well known that humans are affected by the presence of animals. One question that is baffling, however, is why? Why do many humans feel so comfortable around animals, and why do they lower our blood pressure? What is it in an animal that makes humans feel it is worthwhile to spend thousands, and sometimes millions, of dollars on them, and countless hours of time? One of the answers is quite simple: unconditional love. Animals love us no matter how terrible we may look in the morning, or how we are viewed by fellow humans. “They are so giving, they’re so accepting of what’s going on. If you’ve had a bad day and you’re feeling poorly for whatever reason, coming home, they look at you, sometimes they jump up on you, want to be petted,… and as long as you don’t show any negative signs, well, they just continue to be happy about it” (Dr. J. Boggs, personal communication, October 12, 2006).

In a nursing home or an assisted living environment, AAA/T is successful because the residents are “used to having [their] own pets at home. [For them], it is very comfortable to have pets walking around” (K. Fenton, personal communication, October 18, 2006). They are reminded of better times, and the presence of an animal is soothing. A patient at the Eugene Good Samaritan spoke of being visited by a dog that was the same breed as a dog he owned when he was younger (Eugene Good Samaritan Health Center [Name omitted for patient's confidentiality], personal communication, November 15, 2006). This brought back pleasant memories of the man’s previous dog, as well as memories of a better and healthier time. In cases such as these, the animals help to make the resident feel at home and provide a sort of entertainment for them. Also, these animals often prompt conversations and liven up the sometimes mundane and depressing living conditions.

Also, we mustn’t forget that we as humans are animals. Society has taught us that we cannot act on our instincts, and that we are wrong for showing our true being. We can relate with pets and animals incredibly well because, essentially, we are both similar. “Pets prolong our lives by reacquainting us with our animal nature, the elemental self that our society and lifestyle conspire to suppress” (Becker, 2002). They help us to psychologically remove the binds of society and to just live. It is refreshing to come back to our roots, and experience our most primal feelings. “Through a close relationship with our pets, we awaken…animal traits of loyalty, love, physicality, and playfulness” (Becker, 2002). To a person who has been institutionalized for ten or fifteen years in a controlled environment, the presence of an animal breathes new life in to them, strips away all of society’s requirements, and reminds them of their true self. “It’s the best feeling in the world” (Eugene Good Samaritan Health Center [Name omitted for patient's confidentiality], personal communication, November 15, 2006).

When kept as pets, animals also give us meaning. Pets are totally dependent on their masters and are at their mercy. At the previously mentioned Yorke Retreat in England, “the basis of treatment was having the ostensibly weaker creatures dependent on the patients” (Perelle and Granville, 1993). Instead of the patients wondering why they should get out of bed to face another day, they knew that they were being depended on; therefore living to nurture their pets. This gave the residents the feeling that their life was meaningful, and primed them to receive the treatment they needed.

However, not everybody is in love with animals, and not everyone benefits from their presence. People may have bad memories of animals, and the presence of an animal may set off negative and abrasive feelings. Pets can sometimes raise blood pressure, and in other situations, bring on panic attacks. In cases such as these, animals are detrimental to the recovery of a human.

Arguments for Animal-Assisted Therapy

It is quite obvious that many people are calmed by the presence of an animal. This, however, is not the question at hand. Does the presence of an animal have tangible results on patients in the hospital or nursing home? Do therapy animals bring anything to the patient other than brief excitement and a change of pace?

Therapy animals have numerous positive effects on humans that can only be obtained by the presence an animal, not a human companion. Psychologically speaking, it is very difficult for an untrained human to affect a patient in a positive way, but it seems to come naturally for animals. Every action of an animal is authentic, and this is evident to the person receiving treatment.

It seems as though everywhere Animal-Assisted Therapy is used, the therapists and nurses have a smorgasbord of stories to tell about the animals. These anecdotes are very useful, and help us to get a full sense of the impact therapy animals have on patients. Dr. Scott Pengelly, a Clinical Medical Psychologist, has had the aid of a therapy animal in his clinical practice. He recalls the story of a flight attendant, who on the day of September 11, 2001, was so affected by the terrible tragedies that she was “completely immobilized” (Dr. S. Pengelly, personal communication, May 27, 2006).

The flight attendant met with Dr. Pengelly four days after the terrible events. “She arrived at our office only to be able to very weakly get in the door and mostly fall into a heap of tears in the waiting room. She couldn’t talk, she couldn’t fill out any …forms or paperwork, she just cried. I didn’t observe this, [as] I was writing chart notes, [but] other people did watch Sparkslake [the dog] get up. He was sitting right where we are sitting in here [Dr. Pengelly's office] and on his own went out to see what was up, [sensing] something extraordinary. I remember him getting up to leave …other people watched him go out. He paused, looking at this person, and immediately curled up on this person’s feet” (Dr. S. Pengelly, personal communication, May 27, 2006).

The action of Sparkslake “made it possible for her to collect herself to begin to say what her name was, why she was there. She then reached down and [patted] Sparkslake while she talked, and eventually went on from there to progress to eventually return to work” (Dr. S. Pengelly, personal communication, May 27, 2006). The psychological effects that we see here are absolutely huge. For a person to be so emotionally shut down and depleted, the thought of talking to a psychologist is impossible. The small action of Sparkslake calmed her and brought her to a place where she was able to receive treatment. A medical professional can have the best tools in the world, but if the patient isn’t able to open up to receive them, they cannot be helped.

In this and many other instances, professionals use therapy animals as a medium through which therapy travels and reaches the patient (Brookner, 2005). “The Occupational Therapist (OT) will say [to the AAA/T therapist] ‘Do you think you can get them to open their hand?’ You’ll ask ‘Can you open your hand to put it around the dog’s ear?’ They’ll do it for the dog but not always for the OT” (Ptak & Howie, 2004). It is little steps like this in physical and occupational therapy that lead to greater and greater results.

Much of the time, the mental health of doctors, therapists, and physicians is overlooked. Therapy animals help to brighten their days as well, and give them shelter and a break from the intense situations their jobs entail. Jean Nesta-Berry, the human in a human/animal therapy team as well as a social worker at Sacred Heart Medical Center, describes this occurrence well. “A big part of stories for me, since I work here and I know what the stress level gets like here, is to see what that stuff [animal-assisted therapy] does for the staff. My belief is if you help bring the staff to a calmer place that ultimately it’ll impact how they can take care of the patients” (J. Nesta-Berry, personal communication, June 1, 2006).

Along with therapy animals affecting patients and professionals psychologically, they affect them physically. This is some of the most important data for the argument for AAA/T, because without it, many of the arguments are theoretical. Humans simply do not have the capacity to affect one another in the same way that animals affect humans. “Patients who spent time with dogs showed a drop of blood pressure on the left side of their hearts-a critical location-of about 10 percent. But pressure actually increased in patients who got a human visitor or who just rested” (Fischman, 2005). This information is staggering. Just the thought of an animal lowering blood pressure and a human raising blood pressure is quite amazing. It makes sense, though. A dog isn’t going to administer any medications or treatment, or cause pain; it’s just going to comfort and love the patient.

Another study showed that “a short pet visit increased levels of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers, while levels of cortisol, a stress and arousal hormone, dropped” (Fischman, 2005). The fact that animals can change the chemical make-up of humans is quite profound. Now, not only can the influence of therapy animals be described, it can be measured. The increase of endorphins is a huge and important discovery. If we can learn how to cultivate and reproduce artificially the feeling of a pet visit, imagine how we could remedy pain! Items such as Virtual Reality glasses could be developed that immerse one in the images of animals. We could increase our endorphins without ever taking a pill or shot. “Boy, if it can be something that easy [as petting an animal], as opposed to drug therapy, wouldn’t that be a positive thing?” (Dr. J. Boggs, personal communication, October 12, 2006).

Arguments Against Animal-Assisted Therapy

Not everybody is aided by the presence of animals, and Animal-Assisted Therapy does not always have positive outcomes. “‘Look, a visit from a dog is not a panacea’, says Erika Friedman, a biologist at the University of Maryland School of Nursing” (Fischman, 2005). It would be incredibly naïve to assume that animals are a cure-all for everything, and that the mere presence of an animal is enough to cure any disorder or negative condition.

Animals have been known to actually exacerbate a problem. In settings such as Alzheimer’s and memory loss units, “barking can set off [negative] behavior [in the residents]” (K. Fenton, personal communication, October 18, 2006). People can become agitated and nervous, and the calming and blood pressure-lowering effects of animals are reversed. In these situations, animals must be trained to be calm and mellow, or their benefits are void. Much of the time, however, all that is needed is some patient training and a “bark collar” (K. Fenton, personal communication, October 18, 2006).

One of the main arguments for the opposition of Animal-Assisted Therapy is that, yes, it may have immediate positive effects, but it has no lasting outcome. “In terms of the therapeutic benefits of animals, there is still relatively little strong evidence of a positive effect outside the use of animals as icebreakers in psychotherapy and the use of animal helpers for persons with physical disabilities” (Rowan & Thayer, 2000). Immediate effects are great, but without lasting results, the patient usually does not recover.

Perelle and Granville conducted a study in 1993 that gives excellent evidence of this point. “[The] paper reports the social behavior changes related to a Pet Visitation program, and the relationship between social behavior change and the residents’ sex, in a nursing home population,” measured by the Patient Social Behavior Scale (Perelle and Granville, 1993). The animals used in the study were “four cats, two small dogs, and one rabbit” (Perelle and Granville, 1993). After four weeks of visits by animals, “scores had fallen significantly” (Perelle and Granville, 1993). All too often, after the removal of the animals the recipients of the treatment fall back into their old conditions, and the treatment was all for naught. However, the initial calming effects of AAA/T may be enough of an aid for a therapist, and give other forms of therapy a chance they had not previously had.

Some hold the belief that all persons undergoing treatment would benefit from the companionship of animals. Dr. Jerry Boggs, DVM, dispels this idea. He refers to studies of pet owners and non-owners, and the animals’ effects on their blood pressure: “It seems to me that the people in that group who had the animals, typically their blood pressure was lower. Part of the question was: Was it because the animals were there, or [did] those people who might have selected animals…[have] lower blood-pressure to begin with, they just had a different temperament, [and] might be attracted to the animals?” (Dr. J. Boggs, personal communication, October 12, 2006). It is quite possible that “the people who seek out animal companionship may be more skilled in making choices that maintain their own well-being” (Hart, 2000). If this were true, then those without animals may not be affected by the companionship of an animal.

Some opponents of Animal-Assisted Therapy feel as though it is not suitable because of its inherent risks. “Some communicable diseases are common to animals and humans, and dogs and cats have been known to scratch or bite. Animal waste can be a health hazard and patients could be allergic to certain types of animals” (Cusack & Smith, 1984). Because of this, it is extremely important for the animals to be certified and the handlers extremely responsible, making sure that the animals are clean and healthy.

Even if the animals are trained extremely well and have gone through tough courses to make sure they have the right mannerisms, they are still just that: animals. They get frustrated and mad just like anybody else, and instead of yelling, they bite or claw. These are rare occurrences, but they still happen. There have been occurrences where “children went to take the toy out of the dog’s mouth and made contact with the dog’s teeth” (Ptak & Howie, 2004).

Notably, it has been documented that felines may have negative consequences on humans. One study declared that in a six-month study of 454 patients who were hospitalized for myocardial infarctions, “Cat owners were more likely to be readmitted for further cardiac problems or angina than people who didn’t own pets” (Rajack, as cited in Friedmann, 2000). Another stated outright that “Cat owners were more likely to die than people who did not own cats,” seemingly because of their levels of social support, “which was low among cat owners” (Friedmann and Thomas, as cited in Friedmann, 2000).

CONCLUSION

This exploration of AAA/T brings up many important issues. It is sad that humans cannot be soothing to each other anymore. How is it that we are so busy that we must send animals to hospitals, nursing homes and controlled-living parks, instead of family members? Have we strayed this far from respecting and loving our elderly and sick? One would think that people would have stronger memories with their human family members, but apparently this is not the case. The study referenced earlier, where blood pressure increased with human presence as opposed to animal presence (Fischman, 2005) scientifically and numerically proves this sad reality. How has society ruined us as a species, and removed us so far from the psychological mindset of our animal counterparts, where love is by far the number one priority?

When judging the effectiveness of AAA/T, one must ask the question, “Is Animal-Assisted Therapy practical?” “Is it worth it?” It is true that AAA/T puts extra burdens on health-care officials involved, and the danger of patient injury is elevated. Some animals may be a detriment to the recovery of patients, especially if the patients are not accepting of animals. A risk is involved when AAA/T is implemented, and that is why many times Animal-Assisted Therapy is opposed.

This information, however, should not be a deterrent of Animal-Assisted Therapy. It is documented that AAA/T provides necessary and essential comfort and results to patients and residents on the receiving end, comfort and results that many times cannot be duplicated by human or chemical means. It is quite obvious, then, that AAA/T should be available in medical centers and nursing homes.

Animal-Assisted Therapy is a broad practice, and is relevant to a large range of maladies. It is impossible to determine whether this practice is positive in every case, because every person and every case is different. It is true that AAA/T is beneficial to many patients, and its effects are invaluable and many times life altering. The use of AAA/T should not hinge on whether it is useful in every case, but whether it can be useful. Drugs like Paxil and Prozac do not work for everybody, but they are proven to be beneficial to many people. Along with these drugs, animals should be used as therapy aids. Like Paxil or Prozac, AAA/T should be a tool in our tool bag used to treat many of the human race’s ailments.

Works Cited

A Rememberance of Leo K. Bustad, DVM, PhD. (n.d.). Retrieved October 17, 2006 from Delta Society Web site: http://www.deltasociety.org/AboutAboutLeo.htm.

Becker, Dr. M. (2002). The healing power of pets: harnessing the amazing ability of pets to make and keep people happy and healthy (p. 16). New York, NY: Hyperion.

Brookner, L. (2005, No. 2). A pilot study at kerr early intervention program: quantifying the human-animal bond. interactions, 23, 9-10.

Cusack, O. & Smith, E. (1984). Pets and the elderly: the therapeutic bond (p. 76). New York, NY: Hawthorn Press.

Fischman, J. (2005, December 12) The pet prescription. U.S. News and World Report, 135, 72-74.

Friedmann, E. (2000). The animal-human bond: health and wellness. In A. Fine (Ed.), Handbook on animal-assisted therapy: theoretical foundations and guidelines for practice (p. 43). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

Hart, L. A. (2000). Psychosocial benefits of animal companionship. In A. Fine (Ed.), Handbook on animal-assisted therapy: theoretical foundations and guidelines for practice (p. 63). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

Industry Statistics & Trends. (n.d.) Retrieved October 21, 2006, from American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, Inc Web site: http://www.appma.org/press_industrytrends.asp.

Perelle, I. B., & Granville, D. A. (1993). Assessment of the effectiveness of a pet facilitated therapy program in a nursing home setting [Electronic Version]. Society & Animals Journal of Human-Animal Studies, 1.

Ptak, A. L., & Howie, A. R. (2004, No. 2). Healing paws & tails: the case for animal-assisted therapy in hospitals. interactions, 22, 5-9.

Rowan, A. & Thayer, L. (2000). Foreword: animal assisted therapy. In A. Fine (Ed.), Handbook on animal-assisted therapy: theoretical foundations and guidelines for practice (p. xxxv). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

Serpell, J. (1996). In the company of animals: a study of human-animal relationships (pp. 24, 60, 90). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

Works Consulted

Barker, S. B. Ph.D., & Dawson, K. S. Ph.D. (1998). The effects of animal-assisted therapy on anxiety ratings of hospitalized psychiatric patients [Electronic Version]. Psychiatr Serv, 49, 797-801.

Crawford, J. J., & Pomerinke K. A. (2003). Therapy pets: the animal-human healing

partnership. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books.

Ptak, A. L., & Howie, A. R. (2005, No. 1). Providing the best quality of life during a difficult time: pet partners helping hospice patients. interactions, 23, 4-11.

Young, D. (2003, January). The power of pets. Southern Living, 38, 57.

Appendix I

TINJARP

(This Is Not Just Another Research Paper)

For the fulfillment of TINJARP, I conducted many interviews, visited a nursing home where AAA/T was used, as well as an Alzheimer’s and dementia unit. I also am privileged to have the accompaniment of two companion animals, my dog Beau and cat Charlie. I have felt the pleasure and comfort they bring me, as well as to others.

For my first interview, I interviewed Dr. Scott Pengelly, a clinical psychologist. Dr. Pengelly is my psychologist, as well as my Technical Advisor. Present during many of his appointments was his dog, Sparkslake. Dr. Pengelly told me stories of how Sparkslake would calm down his clients, and made it able for them to open up to him. He also talked about why we as humans have such a special bond with animals.

Because Dr. Pengelly is my psychologist, I have had the pleasure of being comforted by Sparkslake. At the time, I didn’t know that Sparkslake’s purpose was to calm me down and help me to receive treatment more effectively, but now that I look back, I can remember how he comforted me. I remember him softly licking my hand, and slowly rolling over to allow me to scratch his belly. Because I am so comfortable and in love with animals, I remember feeling at home in Dr. Pengelly’s office, and being excited about our meetings. I didn’t know at the time that I was being subjected to AAA/T, but I do now, and I know the effectiveness of it.

My second interview was with Jean Nesta-Berry, a social worker at Sacred Heart Medical Center. Mrs. Nesta-Berry is a member of the Delta Society, and the owner of two certified therapy dogs. She has taken her dogs to Sacred Heart, and used AAA/T with many patients. Mrs. Nesta-Berry enlightened me with stories and anecdotes of her experiences, as well as the methods and means through which AAA/T is performed.

My third interview was conducted with Dr. Jerry Boggs, head veterinarian and owner of Bush Animal Hospital. Many of his staff are involved with therapy animal groups, and his knowledge of animals is very exhaustive. I asked him why he thinks that animals and humans have such a great bond, and he told me about his childhood with animals and his thoughts of why animals and humans have such an incredible relationship.

For my next interview I talked to Kriss Fenton, the Life Enhancement Director at Good Neighbor Care. Good Neighbor Care is a community where elderly stricken with Alzheimer’s or dementia live together in communal homes. Mrs. Fenton talked to me about the types of animals she uses, as well as the methods of AAA/T used at Good Neighbor Care. She then gave me a tour of the houses. Upon entering the first house, I was greeted with a wonderful sight: three residents circled around a chair. As I got closer, I saw that they were all scratching and petting a cat. They were all deeply interested in the feline, and their moods were calm and serene.

After the completion of these interviews, I had collected great information about the use of Animal-Assisted Therapy and its effects, but I hadn’t talked to anyone who had actually received the treatment. For this information I visited the Eugene Good Samaritan Health Center, an extended care facility that specializes in senior citizen care. After being oriented, having my criminal background checked and getting tested for tuberculosis, I was ready to begin interviewing. The first person I interviewed was a lady who had not received Animal-Assisted Therapy. She recalled that her mother never let her have a cat, and she felt that she missed out on that opportunity. Next I talked to a man who had four heart attacks, and spoke of Animal-Assisted Therapy in the highest regard. After the heart attacks, he was “knocked on his back” (Eugene Good Samaritan Health Center [Name omitted for patient's confidentiality], personal communication, November 15, 2006). He was then visited by a dog, and felt that he was reawakened. He spoke of being licked and sniffed by the dog, and explained it as “the best feeling in the world” (Eugene Good Samaritan Health Center [Name omitted for patient's confidentiality], personal communication, November 15, 2006). An interesting note is that the breed of the therapy dog was the same breed as a dog the man owned when he was younger. The therapy dog brought back pleasant memories of his previous dog. He made it clear that he always desired the presence of an animal in his room, and was extremely positive about AAA/T.

Appendix II

Acknowledgements

This is the largest school assignment that I have ever completed, and there was no way that I could have been able to do this on my own. My technical adviser, Dr. Scott Pengelly, gave me vast amounts of knowledge and wisdom, and took time out of his extremely busy schedule, including Saturdays, to help me form my ideas. I appreciate all the time that he spent answering my questions and giving me insight.

I also must thank my parents for endlessly proofreading my paper, giving me grammatical tips, and attempting to keep me sane during this stressful process. Mom, thank you for accompanying me to the Eugene Public Library, the Knight Library, and introducing me to Jean Nesta-Berry. Dad, thanks for helping me with the effect vs. affect dilemma, as well as other syntax questions. You both helped alleviate my stress, and I thank you for that.

I would like to thank all my interviewees: Dr. Jerry Boggs, DVM, Kriss Fenton, Jean Nesta-Berry, Dr. Scott Pengelly, and the kind residents at the Eugene Good Samaritan Health Center. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to talk to me. Also, huge thanks go to the Good Samaritan Activities Coordinator, Beth Armour, for orienting me, answering my questions and introducing me to patients.

As I was ending the finish line, I asked numerous people to proofread my paper. Thank you to Kasey Lindsay, Erin Miller, Anna Ekstrom, and Aubri Bishop for taking time away from their senior papers and other homework to correct and give suggestions. It was incredibly useful, and I appreciated your brutal and essential honesty.

Also, thank you to James D’Anna and Luke Johnson for using their Photoshop skills for the cover page visual. I appreciate the time and hard work that went into that. Thanks for giving my paper an edge!

Lastly, I must express my gratitude for my International High School teachers who helped all of us get through this difficult and ominous project. Thank you to Mr. Kyle Yamada, Mr. Joshua Hamill and Ms. Jessica Schabtach for getting us started our junior year. Thank you to the senior teachers, who consisted of our Projects teacher Ms. Jessica Schabtach, Mr. Steve Knox, and Mrs. Joanne Moorefield. Mr. Knox, thank you for sharing your senior paper expertise with us and breaking down the intimidating fallacies of the senior paper. Mrs. Moorefield, thank you for helping us with citations, as well as simplifying the dense requirements. And lastly, thank you, Mrs. Schabtach, for proofreading way too many senior papers, and working harder than we ever did. Thank you for sticking in there and helping us make our senior papers successful.