The Advantages (and Adventures) of Living with Pets

Mankind is at the top of the food chain, we are apex predators. But what can we learn from animals, supposedly the lesser species? Let me start out by saying I am an animal guy, big time! I truly believe from personal experience, the therapeutic value of pet ownership.

What in the world does pet ownership have to do with visually impaired people?

Animal-assisted therapy can significantly reduce pain, anxiety, depression and fatigue in people with a range of health problems.¹

Ways pets can benefit people with anxiety:

• Children having dental procedures
• Folks receiving cancer treatment
• People in long term care facilities
• Men and women with cardiovascular disease
• People with dementia
• Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder
• Those of us with with anxiety

Tieing it in to visual impairment

Ok, that’s all good and well but how does it tie into visual impairment? Animal therapy comes in many forms: Much has been written about the value of bonding with animals. Examples, like “cell dog” programs in prisons, equine (horse) therapy, water therapy with porpoises, etc, etc. Not to mention, guide dogs for the blind. (Let’s hope we don’t get that far down the road with our visual decline!)

Meet Sassy

Sassy is a 9-year-old black and withe Shih Tzu. Sassy is many things, diva, pal, and walking buddy.  This dog insists we go on a morning walk, which is good for both of us.  She gives me affection, loyalty, and humor in large doses. I’ve had dogs and some cats (usually one at a time) for most of my 72 years. There are pros and cons, but overall my life has been enhanced by my critters.

Sassy and Richard’s greatest adventure:

This scary but ultimately hilarious adventure happened about 8 years ago. I was close enough to retirement to sniff it. My age was about 64 then, and Sassy was 1 year old and had more puppy in her than smarts. You know, boundless puppy energy, almost like she had fire shooting out of her. She was a lot to handle! When I got her I thought I was just getting a cuddly lap dog that didn’t shed much. Boy! I tell ya, I got more than I bargained for!

Let me set the scene

It was winter, a very cold one with snow on the ground. We lived on a small lake with a large contingent of Canadian geese that paddled, waddled and squawked all about. For some reason, these geese were Sassy’s arch enemy number one. The temperature was in the 20’s and the lake was mostly frozen. Lakes freeze from the shore outwards you know. The middle of the lake was open, not frozen, and a big gaggle of geese had claimed it and were putt-putting around, arguing with each other.

It was early morning

My wife had gone to work and Sassy and I were alone. I was still in my pajamas and had on some brand new deer skin slippers. I was drinking coffee and trying to wake up when it dawned on me Sassy probably needed a potty break. This is where things started to go wrong.  I cracked the back door open and let the little diva out to hopefully take care of her business. But NO! This is not what happened at all!

What did happen?

Sassy took off like she was shot out of a canon, ears flying and her haunches lowered like a world-class sprinter! She hurdled our short fence and was smoking across the frozen lake like a rocket, heading full speed for those dastardly geese. Then PLOP!! As she neared the geese and the middle of the lake, the ice broke and she went in! There I was, the geezer in PJ’S with deer skin slippers and I had a choice to make!

You’ve probably guessed, but in case you haven’t

I saw my baby’s head with 2 paws holding onto the ice looking back to me like she wanted daddy (me) to help. I went into rescue mode as fast as an old geezer can. She was about 200 yards out and I ran out onto the lake and immediately Crack!, the ice broke. My valiant self was now wading, hopping and scrabbling across the broken ice and in frigid water, to save Sassy.

In conclusion

I saved my lil Sassy, cut my legs on broken ice, turned blue, and lost my brand new deer skin slippers. Also, a neighbor called the sheriff on me because she saw a mad man in pajamas running amok on a frozen lake. It all worked out in the end and neither one of us died. It’s one of those things we look back at and laugh, but at the time... not so much.

The case for pets

For me, pets provide love, humor, and fun, and are a great distraction to what ails us.

Wishing you all well on our shared health journey.