Animal therapy is good medicine for helping young and old heal

Warm and unconditional love is a wonderful thing, but sadly missing in the lives of millions. By simply extending a healing paw, hoof or claw - companion animals can reach out to the lonely, infirm and vulnerable and help them heal.

This type of help is called animal therapy, or pet therapy.

Inexpensive help is out there for lonely, elderly people in care centres, for autistic children searching for a connection to the world, for people with high blood pressure looking for an alternative to pill popping, even individuals with spinal cord injuries could benefit from a little time with this special furry medicine.

Jill Robinson, MBE, the founder and CEO of Animals Asia Foundation, points to studies that show pet owners have better physiological and psychological health than those who do not own pets, including lower blood pressure and heart rate, and on average they visit the doctor less frequently.

Even one visit from a canine consultant to a long-term care facility helps reduce loneliness in residents for whom the dog may be their only visitor. Over time these visits can help enhance socialisation and general well-being among elderly schizophrenic patients and increase nutritional intake and weight among Alzheimer's patients.

So what's going on? How can being around animals, such as a dog, cat, or even a horse, improve our brain and body functions?