State Rep. Ferraro Participates in Animal Therapy Day

From the Connecticut General Assembly:

State Rep. Charles Ferraro (R-117) participated in Animal Therapy Day at the State Capitol.

Rep. Ferraro talked with advocates from the three statewide organizations, Allan’s Angels, K9 First Responders and Tails of Joy and met with their therapy dogs.

Therapy animals are best known for bringing affection, comfort and happiness to people in confined living situations, whether they are in a hospital for a short stay or living in an assisted living home. Connecting with an animal, petting or cuddling with it can bring a smile and warm memories to those who feel ill, lonely or neglected.

But therapy animals also serve in many other ways, including helping people with learning difficulties, helping people with mental and physical therapy and bringing comfort to people in stressful situations such as those recovering from disaster.

K9 First Responders (K9FR), based in Milford, is a Critical Incident Mental Health Support (CIMHS) organization. K9FR teams bridge the gap between a traumatic event and the connection to mental health services. The goal is to jump-start the process of restoring a person’s emotional and cognitive equilibrium, enabling a person’s individual resilience and fostering community resilience.

Research has showed that contact with a therapy animal helps improve a patient's physical, mental, emotional and social state, which in turn helps patients better engage and participate in the process of their treatment and recovery.