A part-time dog is good for your health and the environment
Although a horse in the corridor of a hospital is quite unique, according to Pim Martens, animals in care are not. Apart from assistance dogs, according to the professor of sustainable development at Maastricht University, cats, rabbits, birds and even donkeys are also used. Volunteers use woolly alpacas to visit elderly people with dementia, but also young people with autism, for example.
Paws on the bed
"Research shows that animals can have a positive influence," says the professor of 'animality'. He conducted research under the name 'more feet on the bed' with Maastricht UMC+ and De Heeg children's farm. "94 percent of caregivers say that animals can contribute to the therapeutic process. And 97 percent believe that using animals can provide additional benefits."
Read more (in Dutch): Nu.nl
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