title: Animal therapy.
abstract: This article explores the concept of animal therapy. The discussion includes a brief history of animal therapy, its importance, its relationship to rehabilitation, and its usefulness as a tool to influence adaptation, change, power, communication, advocacy, teaching, accountability, responsibility, and locus of control. This theoretical concept is important because of the joy and unconditional love animals can provide their owners. Relationships with animals can promote feelings of self-worth, help offset loneliness, reduce anxiety, provide contact, comfort, security, and the feeling of being needed.
authors.affiliation: New England Baptist Hospital in Boston, USA.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Willis
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000818:Animals; D006293:Health Promotion; D001841:Human-Animal Bond; D006801:Humans; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000523:psychology*; D019145:Rehabilitation Nursing / Q000379:methods*