(MY) animal friends

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2007/08/13-New Straits Times

 

Spotlight: Healing touch of animal friends

By : EILEEN NG

 

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Roxanna Lim (left) says her daughter, Wong Lee Foong, loves to look at

the fish. Lee Foong now laughs and smiles more since the aquarium was

set up next to her bed.

 

 

Dogs, cats and pet fish are being used to help the elderly, sick and

disabled under an animal-assisted therapy programme. EILEEN NG writes

about this little known feel-good remedy and how it has brought back

the smiles for some people

 

 

Petpositive president Anthony Thanasayan says animals work wonders in

improving the physical and emotional well-being of the sick and

depressed

 

 

Chan Chuan Seng (left) and Wong Kang Min.

KUALA LUMPUR: Amber-Mae is no ordinary dog. With a wag of her tail and

a lick, this 18-month-old Golden Retriever can give a lift to the sick

and depressed.

 

Amber-Mae and many of her furry friends are helping people in need of

their feel-good powers.

 

They are involved in animal-assisted therapy (AAT) to spread cheer and

speed up healing among the elderly, sick, disabled and even juvenile

delinquents.

 

The therapy is used to improve patients' physical, emotional and

social well-being and motivate them to get well.

 

While AAT is commonly practised in the West, it is only starting to

make its presence felt in Malaysia.

 

Currently, only dogs are being used, although some proponents said

other animals, such as cats, birds, lizards, hamsters, rabbits and

even fish can also do the job.

 

The dogs, together with their owners and handlers, usually go to old

folk's homes, youth centres and private homes and spend one to three

hours a week with the residents.

 

Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly

Association (Petpositive) president Anthony Thanasayan said animals

worked wonders in improving physical and emotional well-being.

 

He said while AAT was not a quick fix to solve all their ailments, the

human-animal bonding helped to alleviate patients' distress.

 

" Animals accept anyone unconditionally and this is a wonderful

feeling, especially for a disabled who wants to be accepted as

normal, " he said.

 

He said the disabled, elderly and the sick were more prone to

depression and negative thoughts, and the presence of animals would

help dispel that.

 

He said animals engaged in AAT must be neutered, sociable, outgoing,

friendly and not fearful of sudden moves.

 

" We must also take into account the level of disability, for example,

a bedridden person would not be able to handle dogs, so fish may be

more suitable. "

 

Furry Friends Farm founder Sabrina Yeap, who runs an AAT programme

called Dr Dog (Malaysia chapter), said AAT helped relieve loneliness

and encouraged people to open up.

 

" People who refuse to speak or those with physical disabilities will

be more willing to touch a dog than respond to a person. This helps

them to move their muscles and improve their verbal and co-ordination

skills. "

 

She said there were some who were afraid of dogs, but the fear faded

when they saw how their friends benefited from AAT.

 

Two mongrels from Dr Dog are visiting inmates at an old folk's home

and a youth rehabilitation centre.

 

The Lions Kuala Lumpur Bangsar is also into AAT.

 

Club president Dhyana Low said five members and their dogs made weekly

visits to the Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled for the

residents to stroke and hug the dogs.

 

" It's wonderful to see the residents open up to the dogs. It's a

feeling that money can't buy. "

 

 

--

 

Therapy offers comfort, focus to those in need

 

KUALA LUMPUR: Wong Lee Foong would lie on her back most of the time

with a blank look on her face.

 

That all changed about a year ago when she was given a tankful of fish.

 

Lee Foong, 22, who has cerebral palsy and is unable to work, sit or

talk, now smiles and giggles when she sees the antics of the parrot

fish.

 

Her mother, Roxanna Lim, said she had been at her wits' end trying to

get her daughter to smile.

 

The change in Lee Foong's demeanour came about after her participation

in an animal-assisted therapy (AAT) programme arranged by the

Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly

Association (PetPositive).

 

As part of Lee Foong's therapy, PetPositive organised an outing for

mother and daughter last November to a pet shop to choose their fish.

 

They initially opted for goldfish due to its large size and grace.

However, the fish died a few weeks later.

 

" Lee Foong was so sad when they died. We even named the fishes. Later,

the pet store workers told us that goldfish is hard for beginners to

rear and recommended the parrot fish instead. "

 

She said her daughter's demeanour had improved since the fish took

pride of place in an aquarium next to her bed.

 

" She's happier. She smiles and laughs more. She giggles whenever I

feed the fish. She knows the fish belong to her and she's proud of

them.

 

" These improvements, although minute to normal people, are milestones

to me. Her laughter and giggles are music to my ears, " Lim said.

 

Another person who benefited from AAT is Lee Pei Sun, 29, who said she

looked forward to the weekly visit by dogs to the Beautiful Gate

Foundation for the Disabled.

 

Lee, who suffered from spinocerebellar ataxia, said the dogs' antics

made her forget about the problems and her condition.

 

Spinocerebellar ataxia is a disorder characterised by slowly

progressive inco-ordination of gait and is often associated with poor

co-ordination of hand, speech and eye movements.

 

" I've always loved dogs and when I was little, I would hug my dog for

comfort whenever I was upset with my mother. Now, the weekly visits by

the dogs give me something to look forward to, " Lee said.

 

Tommy Leong, who has celebral palsy, said the dogs' presence gave him

a sense of comfort.

 

He said previously he had difficulties expressing himself, but the

visits by the dogs had led to an improvement in his communication

skills and made him more open.

 

Beautiful Gate executive director Sia Siew Chin said the residents

were initially afraid of the dogs' exuberance.

 

" Maybe they were not used to the presence of dogs. But they slowly

opened up and I can see a relationship developing between the dogs and

the residents, " she said, adding that some introvert residents had

become more sociable due to the dogs' influence.

 

Students Chan Chun Seng, 13, and Wong Kang Min, 15, who are in a youth

rehabilitation centre, said the monthly visits of the dogs had made

them less rebellious.

 

" I was admitted to the Victory Home three weeks ago because I was

caught fighting with the boys at school. At least with the dogs, I

could have mock fights with them and this allows me to release my

tension, " Chan said.

 

Victory Home general superintendent Philip Mok said the children

looked forward to the dogs' visits.