Believe it or not AAT has been recorded to go back as far as the 1700's. Palley et al (2010) had mentioned that the earliest evidence of therapeutic programs using animals took place in the 1790's in the United Kingdom at York Retreat where there were mentally ill patients encouraged to walk through the gardens and interact and care for the animals (p. 199). Serpell (2006) documented that by the 19th century animals were very common place within mental institutions in the UK (as cited in Palley et al, 2010, p.199). The bond between animals and humans has been around for a very long time, it’s not hard to understand why animals help individuals have a certain degree of calmness. Urichuk & Anderson (2003) also had documented more examples of the presence of animals in our lives. They had reported that the Ancient Greeks used hippo therapy which is physical therapy on horseback to rehabilitate injured soldiers. They also had reported that over 5,000 years ago, Egyptians tamed African tabby wildcats to hunt mice and rats for them (p.15). This shows me that there is an immense presence of animals in our lives.
There is an idea that pet animals can be therapeutic and have a socialising factor to them. There have been numerous studies about the effects of an animal in an individual’s life and according to Lockwood (1983) studies have shown that individuals that are seen with animals in public are perceived as being more friendly, approachable, and safe (as cited in Urichuk & Anderson, 2003, p.26). According to Velde et al (2005) from their findings "the human-companion animal bond reveal many physiological and psychological benefits" (p.44). This means by having animal in your life can give you cognitive and physcial improvements to your daily life, they can give you a chance to exercise, and show empathy and happiness all while giving you companionship.
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