Celebrating Our Animal-Assisted Therapy Volunteers on World Animal Day
On World Animal Day, we celebrate and thank our animal-assisted therapy volunteers for their dedication and support of our mission. Pet volunteers with Ohio’s Hospice animal-assisted therapy program bring peace of mind and a sense of calm to the patients and families they visit each day.
World Animal Day was created to promote animal rights and their health and is held on October 4 each year. This year’s theme is, “The World Is Their Home Too!”
The day helps call attention to animal-assisted therapy, which integrates dogs, horses and other animals to help people manage grief, loss and stress.
Animals used for animal therapy are specifically trained to provide affection and comfort. They are often confused with service and emotional support animals, but all three differ:
- Therapy animals are trained to provide comfort and affection. They’re encouraged to interact with a variety of people. Animal-assisted therapy offers support in hospice care, providing patients with emotional comfort, companionship, and moments of joy during their final journey.
- Emotional support animals are similar but only work with their owner. Additionally, emotional support animals do not have special training.
- Service animals are specifically trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities. They may help a blind person navigate their surroundings or alert someone to the first sign of seizures.
How to Celebrate World Animal Day
- Volunteer at your local shelter.
- Create a social media post to raise awareness. Post photos of your pet(s).
- Donate to your favorite pet-related shelter, charity or organization.
- Shower your pet(s) with food and praise.
