Di: Blef
La compagnia degli amici animali, è noto, può portare enormi benefici alle persone affette da disagi psichici e malattie debilitanti.
In Europa il primo a suggerire la zooterapia ai malati fu lo psicologo William Tuke, il quale incitò i pazienti dello York Retreat Hospital a prendersi cura di piccoli animali.
Un’altra pietra miliare fu il lavoro del neuropsichiatra infantile Boris Levenson il quale, grazie al suo cane Jingles, rilevò i benefici della sua presenza su un bambino autistico. Nel 1961 Levinson pubblicò il suo famoso libro The Dog as Co-Therapist (Il cane come co-terapeuta), in cui per la prima volta si fece cenno al concetto di pet-therapy.
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