User:UCcameragirl

Many people are aware of the emotional benefits of pets. For us as humans pets can bring us a sense of wellbeing, stability, and companionship, while for the animals it creates a stable home with guaranteed feeding, protection, health and companionship. Humans began utilising animals around 12, 000-14, 000 years ago when wolves cubs who were raised from pups by humans, were found to remain subordinate around humans as adults and aided them with hunting and pelts which aided keeping the humans warm (pedigree, 2014). It wasn't until the 18th century though that pet ownership became popularised. Since then the use of animals as pets for companionship has risen dramatically and for the animals new jobs have arisen out of this desire for animal contact such as;

• Seeing Eye Dogs
• Helper Monkeys
• Therapy Pets
• Horseback Therapy

Other than just the strictly therapeutical benefits, pets can also cause structure, empowerment, a relaxant, a reliable relationship and stimulate the "cave man" instinct in individuals to varying degrees, all of this will be discussed further on in the chapter.

On a chemical level motivation is something we experience due to fluctuating levels of hormones and/or neurotransmitters that send messages to specific areas in our brain due to external or internal stimuli. For example when your stomach decides you are in need of nutrients it increases release of the hormone "Ghrelin". This goes through the bloodstream up to the Hypothalamus in the brain that sends you a message that you are hungry. This sensation of hunger gives you the drive to get up and make a sandwich with the intent of getting some nutrients into your system. The anomaly of "drive" and "intent" are what defines a motivation.

It would be remiss of me to write under the illusion that animals inspire motivation directly. Direct motivation can occur in certain scenarios, for example; before a pet you would sleep into the early afternoon, since getting a pet you have had to wake at 9am routinely to feed the animal and let it out to go to the bathroom, therefore you are motivated to wake up at an earlier time to make sure the animal is happy/doesn't "go" inside the house. However, this is not always the case, the majority of the time a motivation is caused by proxy of an emotional state that pets can generate. Fore example; children going through therapy for a disability progress better because of the joy and companionship a therapy dog can provide, which causes them to be more confident and to try harder at their exercises. To attempt to separate motivation from emotion would be close to impossible or at least a foolish effort, so there will be mention of emotional states that have been proven to lead to human motivation.

Why is this information relevant for pet owners?

Pets encourage children to become responsible.

Pets help health in a variety of ways.

This inspires many therapy animals to be used for varying benefits.

Many people have found that horse therapy has been beneficial for people with various forms of physical or mental disabilities. Organisations such as "Pegasus Riding School for the Disabled" have created schools that are designed specifically for mentally challenged or physically handicapped individuals to be able to gain muscle strength and tone from the horses natural movement and bond with the animals to gain confidence.

Given to individuals after traumatic events, therapy dogs can aid people to face the world again.