Animal-Assisted Therapy

Nature’s Edge Therapy Center ensures that every animal maintains standard animal wellness guidelines.  Our animals all have a willingness to share their love with our families. Nature’s Edge is home to a variety of animals that are specially trained to help our patients reach their highest potential for independent living.

What is Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT)?

More than simply spending time with an animal, Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) is a therapist-guided experience designed to improve a patient’s mental, physical, social and emotional functioning through interactions with an animal. At Nature’s Edge, our therapy animals include dogs, cats, a donkey, a llama, pot-bellied pigs, a parrot, and sheep, each chosen for their characteristics and contributions in relation to the patient’s specific goals.

The Method of Animal-Assisted Therapy

For example, a patient with difficulty in the areas of concentration, communication, and fine motor control will be encouraged to pay attention to a story.  The patient is then introduced to a parrot and will take turns with the parrot, repeating specific words and turning pages, as directed by the therapist.

Many aspects of speech, occupational and physical therapy can be enhanced through animal assistance. Patients form complete sentences by greeting and conversing with animals; they sequence actions by giving commands to them. They read to them and practice directional concepts. They walk with them, run and jump with them or throw toys for them to retrieve, gaining motor skills. They learn about healthy eating by feeding and treating them and about hygiene by bathing them and even brushing their teeth. They talk about bullying, timidity or trust with animal companions, observing animal interactions as examples. They brush our animals and stroke and hold them, increasing sensory tolerance.

Each animal-assisted therapy session is documented and the patient’s progress is evaluated on an ongoing basis.