The video of three therapy dogs welcoming passengers at Terminal 2 of the Mumbai airport went viral recently. These dogs - Pepe, Sunshine and Pearl - were seen cuddling, playing ball or just letting passengers hug them. An endearing sight, it at once illustrated the positive effects of Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT).
Clinical psychologist, Minal Kavishwar, founder of Animal Angels Foundation, a Pune-based NGO, says AAT can be applied in a variety of settings. “It is most effective when combined with certain other therapies/treatment modalities, to achieve optimum results. This is precisely the reason why it has to be practised by trained mental health professionals,” she says.
The Airport Authority at Mumbai International Airport had approached Kavishwar’s organisation with the concept, and the programme was launched in September 2015 (they wound up in May this year). The dogs were stationed at the airport on weekends. “This was Asia’s first Airport Comfort Dogs Programme and there was a tremendous response,” says Kavishwar.
Positive effect
Passengers, who were stressed because they were stranded, lonely or just homesick, found the presence of a therapy dog comforting.
“Dogs are non-judgemental, and when used for therapy sessions, the involvement of children who have certain developmental issues, is higher. In developed countries, therapy dogs make visits to prison, to spend time with the inmates. This unconditional positive regard is the main benefit of AAT,” says Anuvidya, clinical psychologist and certified animal-assisted training specialist, Saraswathi Kendra Learning Centre (SKLC), Chennai. Read more
Clinical psychologist, Minal Kavishwar, founder of Animal Angels Foundation, a Pune-based NGO, says AAT can be applied in a variety of settings. “It is most effective when combined with certain other therapies/treatment modalities, to achieve optimum results. This is precisely the reason why it has to be practised by trained mental health professionals,” she says.
The Airport Authority at Mumbai International Airport had approached Kavishwar’s organisation with the concept, and the programme was launched in September 2015 (they wound up in May this year). The dogs were stationed at the airport on weekends. “This was Asia’s first Airport Comfort Dogs Programme and there was a tremendous response,” says Kavishwar.
Positive effect
Passengers, who were stressed because they were stranded, lonely or just homesick, found the presence of a therapy dog comforting.
“Dogs are non-judgemental, and when used for therapy sessions, the involvement of children who have certain developmental issues, is higher. In developed countries, therapy dogs make visits to prison, to spend time with the inmates. This unconditional positive regard is the main benefit of AAT,” says Anuvidya, clinical psychologist and certified animal-assisted training specialist, Saraswathi Kendra Learning Centre (SKLC), Chennai. Read more