Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT)
AAT includes meaningly planned pedagogic, psychological and socially integrative interventions with animals for children, youths, adults and senior citizens with cognitive, social-emotional and motoric disabilities, and behavioural problems. It also includes health-promoting, preventive and rehabilitative measures.
History
The earliest reported use of AAT for the mentally ill took place in the late 18th century in England. Patients were allowed to wander the grounds which contained a population of small domestic animals. These were believed to be effective tools for socialization.
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