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Pet Night 2014: Dogs help children with autism

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DSCF3319Two pilot projects in the UK and the Netherlands have shown the amazing results of dogs' beneficial impact on children, according to research by the University of Lincoln, which was brought into the spotlight during the 10th Pet Night event on 12 February - supported by the International Federation of Animal Health (IFAH), Pet Night brought together policymakers and NGOs.

"The overwhelming majority of parents confirmed that their child became happier after adopting a dog, and that 'meltdowns' in the presence of a dog were less likely," said Helen McCain, of the UK programme Parents Autism Workshop (PAWS). The effect on a child is "massively beneficial", she added.

The proposal falls in line with EU polices on raising public awareness of autism and highlighting ways to protect children.  This year, Pet Night on 12 February represented the whole spectrum of organizations: from well-established guide dogs associations to recent projects involving dogs for autistic children.  This indicates a growing interest on the part of Europeans in a new level of synthesis between humans and animals in the 21st century. From guard and rescue dogs, humanity has moved towards much more sophisticated forms of mutually beneficial forms of interaction, shifting from the physical protection of humans to more complex issues of care for human health, including psychological.

DSCF3266"My dogs usually work during one hour per day, sometimes two hours, with a break for a walk," Annick Neveu, a volunteer for Activ’Dog Association which focuses on visiting old people’s homes, told EU Reporter.  For many elderly people, such visits represent a bridge to their past, helping to overcome their stress. The dogs brighten the days of Alzheimer sufferers and those with other severe disorders, and the wisest of 'man's best friends' are introduced to bring comfort in the last moments of those passing away.  "Holding and caressing a dog is a beacon of light," Neveu added.

DSCF3244Along with Activ’dog, numerous associations present at Pet Night train and educate dogs and humans for mutually beneficial relationships, confirming dogs' unique place in human life. However, many mysteries concerning the integral bond between animals and humans are still to be discovered.

Although there were no felines present at the event, German Professor Reinghold Bergler’s new book Man and Cat. The Benefits of Cat Ownership compensated to some extent for the absence of cats. At the moment, cats are the most popular  pets in Europe - with 17 per 100 households, the Danes leads in terms of human to animal ratio, but the French, with 11 million, are clearly ahead in overall numbers.  Similarly to dogs, cats are tremendously supportive for frail individuals, bringing balance and significantly improving the quality of life in retirement and easing grief and depression, Reinghold claims. In spite of there being around 200 million pets in the EU, Reinghold also adds that for quality of life improvement "we need more animals around us than is the case at present".  But the relationship between animals and humans is not a one-way street - pets should benefit as well, according to volunteers. "Ensuring the health and welfare of companion animals across Europe is an essential part of responsibile pet ownership," said MEP Julie Girling.  One of the crucial aspects of this health-care system is a single EU-wide licensing system that is due to be considered by the European Parliament this year. The single-license system, concluded Girling, would greatly improve the availability of medicines for all animals across Europe.

 

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Anna van Densky

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EU Reporter publishes articles from a variety of outside sources which express a wide range of viewpoints. The positions taken in these articles are not necessarily those of EU Reporter.

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