POLOKWANE – Karen Steenkamp, Pets as Therapy (PAT) area coordinator, visited the children at the Tough Living with Cancer ward (TLC) at the Pietersburg Provincial Hospital on Tuesday, accompanied by her specially assessed therapy dog.
“We are committed to enrich the lives of people who are residents or patients at a variety of organisations and facilities. We achieve this through friendly, regular and controlled visits by accredited volunteers and their animal companions,” said Steenkamp. The dog brought a smile to the children’s faces. Everybody wanted to have a chance to stroke the dog.
Steenkamp said pets have a major impact on patients and elderly people. More and more research is coming to the fore, showing the positive impact that both companion and visiting animals have on residents in various types of facilities including homes for the retired and both mentally or physically challenged.
Bobby Were of TLC said the children responded very well to the pet therapy. There are also physiological benefits; a person’s blood pressure drops when stroking an animal and petting encourages a person to use hands and arms. PAT is a registered charity, and all members are volunteers who use their own animals to visit selected facilities. To find out more, please visit their website at www.pat.org.za.
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