LAST WEEK:
I spoke with many dog owners at the dog park this past week about how their dogs make them feel. Here are some of the most common words said:
This week's focus was on how pets physically and mentally affect the body. I have been observing through my own personal experiences at the dog park just how much a dog's presence can affect a person. But to what extent is their presence really impacting people's lives? How deep does it go?
I spoke with many dog owners at the dog park this past week about how their dogs make them feel. Here are some of the most common words said:
- Happy
- Loved
- Excited
- Stressed
- Important
A dozen different people seemed to say the same things about how their pets make them feel and it just solidifies that the presence of pets in our lives affects how we are, how we feel, and the over quality of our day.
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| Taylor Simons. "Pugs Sleeping". 2017. |
This week's focus was on how pets physically and mentally affect the body. I have been observing through my own personal experiences at the dog park just how much a dog's presence can affect a person. But to what extent is their presence really impacting people's lives? How deep does it go?
I decided to do some research into the science behind pets and the human mind/body. There are an endless amount of websites that support the notion that animals reduce stress levels. Everybody deals with stress, whether it stems from work, school, family, or relationships. We are all burdened. What makes animals so special in all of this? Well studies show that pets:
- can increase levels of the stress-reducing hormone oxytocin and decrease production of the stress hormone cortisol
- “Dogs Help Humans Reduce Stress.” Dogs Help Reduce Stress, animalsmart.org/species/dogs/dogs-help-reduce-stress
AND
- lower blood pressure response to mental stress
- Allen, Karen, et al. “Pet Ownership, but Not ACE Inhibitor Therapy, Blunts Home Blood Pressure Responses to Mental Stress.” Hypertension, vol. 38, no. 4, Oct. 2001, hyper.ahajournals.org/content/38/4/815.full.
Since it is evident that pets have health benefits, does this make it more appealing to own one? Or perhaps does this motivate current pet owners to seek how their pets might be useful in the community for people who are not capable of owning their own pets or do not have access to any?
There are programs that exist that utilize the benefits of pets as therapy animals and they take these certified fur-babies into schools, universities, libraries, hospitals, and nursing homes. There is one program I looked into that is called Therapeutic Paws of Canada, and they are entirely volunteer-based. The program has the volunteers and their pets visit spaces and communities that could benefit from the presence of therapy animals. The program itself is geared towards facilitating a calm, stress-free environment and stimulating a happy and engaging time for all.
This is one of the many ways pets are used to better the lives of people who are battling with illness, diseases, disabilities, and just poor mental health in general. The very existence of these programs proves that pets are indeed an impacting factor on a person's everyday life.
WHAT'S NEXT?
For this week, I want to put all of this information to the test.
My Aunt and Uncle lost one of their sons last year, my cousin Scott, in a tragic accident. It has not been easy for any of my family as we were all very close with him. Both my aunt and uncle are retired and have been spending a lot of time at home, but it is clear that they are really struggling mentally and emotionally with the loss of Scott. They do not own any animals, but since I do, I asked if I could bring two of my dogs over to their house so that they could participate in my Genius Hour Project. I am going to be observing, recording, and reflecting on the experience:
- Pictures
- Video
- Before feelings
- After feelings
- General comments from both my aunt and uncle about how the dogs being there makes them feel
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| Taylor Simons. "Paxton Sleeping". 2016. |
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