A comprehensive study by Beetz et al.(2012) compiled data from 69 studies related to the psychosocial and psychophysiological effects of human animal interaction. The data found shows that interaction with an animal has positive effects on, “social attention, social behavior, interpersonal interactions, and mood; stress-related parameters such as cortisol, heart rate, and blood pressure; self-reported fear and anxiety; and mental and physical health, especially cardiovascular diseases.”

It was found that the perception of an individual is effected when an animal is present and there is a stimulation of social interaction, this is know as the “social catalyst effect”. It found “children with pervasive developmental disorders (including autism) were more playful in interaction with a live dog compared to toys, and also more aware of their social environment in the presence of the dog.” In adults with chronic mental illness, AAT lead to significant interaction, and also increased mood, with other patients when compared to a control without AAT. This is very important to Puppies with a Purpose’s overall mission, for we believe that many people could greatly increase their socialization with the assistance of a therapy dog to feel more comfortable.

Interaction with a dog has been shown to reduce stress because it, “positively affects endocrine responses as indicated by changes in the levels of cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine.” Social support by a friendly human was compared to support by a dog and it was found that cortisol, which the main hormone released during stress, was significantly lower in the support by a dog. It also found that the more time a person spent with a dog the lower the cortisol levels. It was also found that quietly petting a dog was seen to reduce heart-rate and blood pressure significantly more than quietly reading a book.

The study found many positive effects of human animal interaction on mental, social and physical well-being. At Puppies With A Purpose Inc. we have seen numerous examples of how therapy dogs have helped people in all of these ways and believe that so many more people could potentially benefit in life changing ways. We hope to spread information such as this in order to make the public more aware of the benefits of therapy dogs!

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3408111/

Question: What does Prozac, Valium, and Rover have in common?
Answer: They all reduce the physiologic sign of stress; i.e lower blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate.

Thirty years ago two mental health professionals, Dr. Alan Beck of Purdue University and Dr. Aaron Katcher of the University of Pennsylvania, published the first study demonstrating the reduction in heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure, in anxious individuals while petting a friendly and familiar dog.
Another study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine established a decrease in the level of the stress hormone cortisol while petting an animal.
The effects are seen to 20 minutes after petting the animal, in contrast to drugs which work thirty minutes after ingestion.
A study conducted on close to 6000 people in Australia found that pet owners had lower blood pressure and cholesterol compared to non pet owners.
An interesting study published in the American Journal of Cardiology, followed over 400 patients release from the hospital after a heart attack, and found those that were pet owners, we’re 8.6 times more likely to be alive one year later than non pet owners.

So as a psychopharmacologist, I occasionally encounter the patient that for one reason or another can not tolerate medication, but presents with crippling anxiety. So, I thought, “based on the above studies, why not prescribe a dog.”
And did just that. With great results I might add.
And I researched the criteria for a service dog…

And developed puppies with a purpose to share with other mental health professionals.

I practiced with a canine for the past 14 years, to help calm anxious patients in the treatment room.

I am a firm believer in animal assisted therapies, especially for psychiatric patients.

Hopeful, one day, animal assisted therapy will be as popular as art therapy and occupational therapy.