As Healers By Brian Berkenstock An increasing number of hospitals and rehabs are using animals as therapists for patients recovering from joint replacement surgery, strokes and other ailments that require regaining abilities that have been lost.
Some people think the practice a bit out of the ordinary and unproven.
While it's true that research on the subject is thin, some early findings are intriguing. For example, a study of 369 people who had suffered a heart attack showed that those who owned a dog were much less likely than non-dog owners to die in the year after the attack. Many physical and recreational therapists see value in pet therapy. Using her left arm, a patient throws a rubber ball that Rusty fetches faithfully. Jean Rogers, Rusty's owner, tells the patient that standing and throwing helps her improve her balance and endurance.