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Cuddling Camel Visits John Muir Health For Animal-Assisted Therapy
Written: Dana Guzzetti
Date: Thursday, 04 October 2007
The back parking lot at John Muir Health was aglow with grins and good feelings when patients and staff met an eclectic collection of friendly, affectionate animals, including Kazzy the camel.
Rob and Robin Lyons brought some of the cuddly beasts from their Napa collection for an annual animal-assisted therapy session in September.
Judging by the cuddling and snuggling, Spike, a soft salmon colored Malaccan cockatoo fell in love with Russell Stanley. Stanley, who is a Korean War veteran amputee in the hospital for a hip replacement, was obviously delighted.
Throughout history humans have recognized the value of animals, particularly dogs and a few other species. They guide the blind, protect people and property, hunt, herd, and fi nd things such as lost persons and drugs. Dogs for Diabetics in Concord raises dogs that can smell low blood sugar and alert their diabetic owners - for those who have an aversion to needles this is a happy alternative to blood testing.
During the past 25 years people's appreciation for dogs has grown to include other species because of the calming effect they have on people who are distressed by pain and anxiety.
After the Lyons retired from Delta Airlines to their ranch in Napa, Robin happened to see an article about a Cornell University student study on the benefi ts of animal therapy for the elderly, patients in long-term care facilities and in psychiatric hospitals.
They decided to combine their passion for saving animals with their commitment to serving people and founded Lyon Ranch Therapy Animals. They nurture and train the animals they take in to make them even more peoplefriendly. "Animals are so healing. It lifts your mood," Robin said.
Zonkey
Their menagerie includes Muppet, a miniature horse, a Savannah cat from Africa, a "zonkey" and more. The zebra/ donkey hybrid was a gift of dubious value from a zebra breeder who considered it an unfortunate accident. Zebras are known to be bad tempered and donkeys too, have a reputation for contrary behavior.
Lyon said she believes theirs grew to be gentle because she personally raised it with tender loving care. Inexplicably, the animal became ill and was near death at a Davis veterinary facility. "For two weeks, the Swiss doctor would say, 'We should put him down,' and I would say, 'Just one more day.' Then I would say, 'OK,' and then he said, 'Just one more day.'"
Finally when Lyon could pay no more for medical services, she went in for a fi nal farewell. Putting her arm around the animal and leaning close to the zonkey's ear, she said, "I love you." Then the animal's ear fl ickered.
"I screamed for the doctor and when he came, I whispered, 'I love you' again in his (the animal's) ear, and again it moved," Lyons said.
She thought about the fact that the zonkey had been hospitalized for many days, kept alive by tubes and machines, and without regular loving human contact. She believes her hug, voice and words affected the animal in much the same way the animals affect the patients they visit.
With her regular visits, continued care and what some would term a miracle, the zonkey completely recovered and now returns the loving contact to humans, she said.
"Rob could have been out playing golf," she said. Noticing Kazzy nuzzle smiling patient Mike Buckley while Rob holds the reins she said, "He loves doing this."
The Lyons Ranch animal visits are an extension of the animal therapy initiated by Margaret Maguire, recreational therapist at John Muir. "I know how much animals do for patients," she said. "They are an integral part of the program."
Nearby Animal Rescue Foundation and Therapy Pets volunteers regularly bring dogs and cats, which brighten the day of all who encounter them. Animal therapy goes beyond mood lifting.
Practice and Research It is being used to help calm autistic children, in juvenile and adult correction facilities and senior residential care institutions with reportedly positive results. "We are working with U.C. Davis to quantify the effects of pet interaction on children's reading scores," Elena Bicker, ARF executive director said.
By first establishing reading levels of a group of students, then allowing part of that group to read aloud in traditional settings (in class or to an adult), with the remainder reading aloud to an animal; they hope to prove the value of animals as a teaching aid.
Up to now, it has been the general observation that children learn to read more quickly and with a better attitude toward reading when an animal is the audience. "Tony La Russa has collaborated on a book, "Banjo Gets a Bath" specifi cally designed for that purpose, according to Bicker.
There is abundant evidence, but little research to show that animals have the effect of lowering blood pressure and anxiety and that pet owners live longer, but more research is underway.
University of California Los Angeles Medical Center research and an American Heart Association 2005 report showed that the positive impact of a visit by an animal was greater than that of another human or being left alone. Anxiety test scores were 24 percent lower among patients with animal visits, according to Kathie M. Cole, RN, MN, CCRN, who worked on the project.
Contra Costa Health Services provides pet therapy as one of the individualized psychiatric services and there are numerous accredited schools now offering professional training for animal therapists.
(Posted October 17, 2007)