In this month’s cover, Dr. Jeff and Dr. Susie talked about the local drive-in movie theater. While there are plenty of trained dogs, cats, birds, and more that have had their 15 minutes of fame, another category of pets that are often in the spotlight are those of the first family. And there have been some truly interesting pets in the White House over the years! • Only three presidents have opted not to have any pets during their time in office: James Polk (the 11th president), Andrew Johnson (the 17th president), and Donald Trump (the most recent president to leave office). • On the other end of the spectrum, many presidents have had multiple pets! Calvin Coolidge had an astonishing 23 pets, including typical companion animals like dogs, birds, and cats but also some strange editions like a donkey, bobcat, and raccoon! The Coolidges’ dog, Rob Roy, was the first dog to be in an official first family portrait. • George H. W. Bush and Barbara Bush’s dog, Millie, gained fame as the first presidential pup to write a New York Times bestseller! The first dog park in Houston was also named after this English springer spaniel: Millie Bush Bark Park. • One of the best presidential photo ops came when President Ronald Reagan’s dog, Lucky — a large Belgian herding dog called a Bouvier des Flandres — took the president for a walk across the White House lawn while he was conversing with U.K. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. The Reagans eventually sent Lucky to their ranch, so he had plenty of room to run. Their two tortoiseshell cats, Cleo and Sara, then got their run of the house. • While dogs have far and away been the most popular presidential companion animals, there have been some notable exotic animals to live at the White House. Whether or not they can all be pets is up for debate! Thomas Jefferson was gifted two grizzly bear cubs but gave them away because they were too “dangerous and troublesome.” John Quincy Adams’ wife, Louisa, kept silkworms in the White House. They had a practical purpose though: She spun their silk. Benjamin Harrison and Herbert Hoover both kept opossums as pets of sorts. SILKWORMS, GRIZZLY BEAR CUBS, AND OPOSSUMS Famous First P ts! The Best Companion
IS ANIMAL THERAPY RIGHT FOR YOU?
There are just some things only a dog can understand — same with a cat, or a horse, or a bird, for that matter. That’s the idea behind animal- assisted therapy (AAT), a treatment designed to help those with mental and physical challenges. AAT may look like snuggling and playing with animals, but it's much more involved than you may think. What is AAT? AAT relies on an innate human need to connect with animals. The idea is that humans form bonds with living things, and this connection can have a calming effect on our minds. Physical therapy and massage therapy involve tangible actions on the part of the therapist, while AAT relies on the relationship between a human and an animal. This could help someone cope with grief, lessen a medical patient’s pain related to chemotherapy or surgery, provide connection to residents in long-term care facilities, or even offer exercise for those with limited mobility. Aren’t those just emotional support animals? In recent years, emotional support animals have become increasingly popular both in the media and in their use. Emotional support animals offer their owners vital emotional assistance, but they differ greatly from trained therapy animals. AAT requires the use of a trained animal under the direction of a handler, who will also coordinate with medical professionals to ensure the strategies that they deploy will target what a patient needs. Prior to practicing, trainers and their animals must each pass certification processes intended to help each party gain the skills needed to help patients. To qualify, animals also need to be clean and vaccinated, and the type of animal that is used during AAT also depends on a person’s condition, the location of the therapy, and a patient’s need. Is AAT right for you? AAT isn’t for everyone, but it can be a vital component of your healing process. It’s often seen as a supplemental form of therapy intended to bolster other therapies. The important thing to remember when considering AAT is to establish reasonable goals. Discuss the possibility of using AAT with your doctor or therapist and consider which animals may bring you the most comfort. Be realistic about what you want and need before attempting AAT. Your Guide to AAT
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