Zootherapy and its using for the clients of PN Bohnice

Animotherapy is a relatively young branch using the positive impact of animals on the mental, physical and social health. We divide it according to the methods, forms, or animals that are used for the therapy (hippotherapy, canistherapy, felinotherapy, etc.). From the viewpoint of the use of animals in therapy it is important to specify methods AAA (activities) and AAT (therapy). While AAT is a targeted method indicated by the physician and must keep records of the course of the therapy, AAA is a method of natural interaction between the client and the animal and the conditions laid down by the methods of the AAT may not be met. All types of animotherapy should be performed or supervised by a qualified expert with appropriate education, whose task is to establish the aims and procedures of individual therapies taking into account the health status of the client and his current mental frame of mind. By acknowledging the psychological state of the client and his diagnosis, the therapist prevents emergence of dangerous situations both for the client and for the animal involved in therapy. This therapy is used as a supplement for therapeutic or rehabilitation methods. For example, it can help to create or deepen the relationship between the client and the therapist. It is not yet officially recognized as a therapeutic method. Sociotherapeutic farm in PN Bohnice uses for therapy especially horses (called Hipotherapy (HR), and small animals. The method HR complexly affects the mental and physical state of a person and includes all forms of treatment and rehabilitation using horses for persons with a disability or handicap. Horses on the farm are used for physiotherapy and psychotherapy, while small animals are used in the form of visiting programs by gerontopsychiatric wards. Therapists worked out on the basis of many years of experience their own methodology for these therapies, using which they achieve excellent results. The results of studies show that animotherapy has a positive effect on clients of all ages and a wide range of diseases. This is a very promising and recently much discussed subject that needs a number of other studies, to be acknowledged as a therapeutic method