We feel so lucky to have many great resources in the Hutchinson community. Partnering with local organizations is something we strive for at Wheel & Cog. Our newest offering at Wheel & Cog is having local therapy dogs visit the museum. There are many valuable resources these dogs offer children of all ages.
A: Pet therapy is a broad term that includes animal-assisted therapy and other animal-assisted activities. Animal-assisted therapy is a growing field that uses dogs or other animals to help people recover from or better cope with health problems, such as heart disease, cancer and mental health disorders. Animal-assisted activities, on the other hand, have a more general purpose, such as providing comfort and enjoyment for small children all the way to nursing home residents.
Q: Some of my friends have read to a therapy pet, why?
A: Therapy pets allow children to focus on the animal instead of feeling self-conscious themselves. This is a therapeutic distraction technique that relieves children of their worries, which helps their performance when reading.
Q: What are some other benefits of therapy pets?
A: Studies show that therapy pets can provide motivation to children to do tasks that they typically are not excited to do. Therapy pets can help increase confidence. They can also help children increase their attention span. Animals can also have a calming effect for kids, so they can help reduce anxiety or fear. These are only a few benefits!
Check our calendar to see when the local therapy dogs will be joining us at Wheel & Cog.
This local group of therapy dogs is part of Therapy Dogs International, please visit their website to learn more.
