do you think pets are tharaputic

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i think pets and nimals are extremly theraputic i had a dog for a while it was almost the best part of my life what do you think?

Yes, absolutely--and there's more than just subjective opinion to prove it. People who have pets live longer, are healthier, and have lower stress levels.

There are of course dedicated autism service dogs (and a few cats, and at least one lizard), but simple emotional support animals are quite useful too. They do all the same things they do for a physically and mentally healthy NT, only when you're autistic, a lot of those things--companionship, touch, safe interaction, the human/pet relationship, the experience of taking care of another creature--are even more important than they are for most people.

my best friend is my dog named astro...

I am missing him alot =(

can't wait to take him hiking when I get back home.
I want to find a hedge hog to buy while living down here =) I hear they are pretty cool and we almost bought a hedge hog a long time ago at the puyalup fair.

Yes! Someone once told me that if I can love my bird, then that will help me develop the ability to love people. I find it easier to express affection for people when I have my bird with me. Pets also have an intrinsic value even if they don't help you deal with people better.

can be. tho our dog now five showed all the signs of ..... (am i even allowed to mention the word as we'e all so ffff sniffy nowadays) endless repetitive behaviour, obsessions, total inability to fit in. yet the plus side is such pets get you conversations with lots of other dog walkers, thats when he shuts up barking and doesn't want to kill people and dogs.

Very. And I think most people would agree.

The elderly on their own really benefit from animals too

Certainly. I like cats best.

I think pets are extremely theraputic. If brought up and handled in the right way they are a great source of unconditional affection. Though it does take a lot more than just putting down an occasional bowl of food and then chucking them out for the night as most people do. The only draw back is that it seems that as soon as you get used to them being there, the little buggers go and die on you. But that's life I suppose. And I definately think that cats have AS.

LOL!
But yes, they do show many traits. Apart from their great motoric skills, which are admireable.
I always could relate to cats and like them best.

And from what I now, the therapeutic effect of pets is a scientific fact.

When I am upset - I sit down with my dear old cat and stroke him.

There is something I read a while back about stroking and petting a cat that helps lower blood pressure and the sharing of affection lowers stress, etc.

I think that it is a survival mechanism ..... If I stay angry and agitated, kitty will get annoyed, shred my arm off and hit me with the wet end ...

Yes! I love my little border terrier Lily to pieces!

I love it when she sits on my lap when I'm feeling stressed. It just calms me right down!

I watched a programme about the science of dogs a few months ago. This was one of the areas they looked at. They covered research that shows how stroking an animal produces the same bonding hormone levels as a breastfeeding mother has.

Depends on the species. Dogs see like little NT's to me and are too "in your face". Cats are just like them. My bearded dragon is a regestered service animal because she helps me so much. She's helped me become more social, not that I've ever cared about being social but some people do. It's not everyday people see a lizard on someone's shoulder or being held like a baby so they naturaly have to ask about her. One lady at Subway is a b***h but since Pippin is a service animal there is nothing she can do about it. She says she freaks out the customers but I've never seen anyone truly freaked out by her and it's not like I'm going to let her run around on the floor or on food. The people at the local service station and petsmart get upset if I DON'T have Pippin with me.

I think not. I like to think of looking at pets but then I think that they shed on my hand and leave hair around the house and one licked my arm. I would not like to have a pet.

I love my cats, but there are stressful sides to having a pet. Vet bills, for one thing. And they mean more housework, on account of all the fur they shed. When they are disobedient, destructive and badly-behaved it winds me right up and I get very stressed, likewise when they eliminate on the floor/furniture. Thankfully, through rigorous training such things are very rare occurrences now, but last May I got a kitten and he was such a pain in the backside! I wouldn't get another one - it considerably increased my overall levels of stress. He was adorably cute, but he tore curtains and clothes, chewed wires, and was always darting about in a manner not at all conducive to relaxation. One of the worst things was the fact that when he used the litter tray he would stand in his own faeces and then run around the flat and leave smears of it all over my floor and furniture. Argh!

If I get any more cats, I'll get nice, stately, sensible adult ones.