0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Scholarly & Compelling Revelations, 2008-03-13
If you are interested in the ways animals and humans have found ways to help and heal one another -- then this is the book for you. I am deeply impressed by the layers of information and deeply researched examples of ongoing pet and human partnerships in living well, healing, and transcending personal tragedy. If I were to offer one book to both the pet lover who is already persuaded at the amazing gifts of animals, and to the skeptic who isn't sure that pets do more than entertain or receive our projections -- this would be the book. It is a serious book with beautiful, remarkable stories and scientific efficacy to support its claims.
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Healing Power of pets, 2007-01-06
The book arrived in an excellent condition at the promised time.
As this was a present for a friend it was greatly appreciated
Susan
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
Every Review Of Twenty Are All 5 Stars - The Book Is Great, 2005-05-08
I am a dog lover in particular and a pet lover in general. Pets definitely have healing powers. The interaction between human and pet is healthy. In terms of my love for a dog the benefits are extensive. This book is scientific and gives the evidence that proves the healing power of pets. It is not speculation. As you read the book you will learn of the many ways in which your interaction with pets will maintain and enhance your good health.
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
A fine balance of personal anecdotes and scientific info, 2003-11-16
The fact that this book was written by a co-author of "Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul" (a book that I loved) is one of the things that made me pick it up. However, "Healing Power of Pets" is more than a collection of animal anecdotes. There's a lot of good, solid scientific information woven in, too. Dr. Marty Becker, a veterinarian who has worked with Animal-Assisted Therapy programs, cites numerous studies which show that people who are bonded with their pet(s) lead longer, heathier lives. On page 74, for example, he refers to a 1995 study conducted by Erka Friedmann, a professor at the Department of Health and Nutritional Studies at Brooklyn College. She recruited 392 patients who had suffered heart attacks and were part of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial. Of these, 87 owned dogs and 282 did not. A year later, only one of the dog owners had died, while 19 of the non-dog-owners had passed away. In other words, people who own a dog are far more likely to be alive a year after having a heart attack.
Why is this? Many reasons are given in the book: dog owners get more exercise, they take better care of themselves because they feel responsible for the dog, they relax while petting the dog, they are less lonely because of the dog, etc. Other studies have shown that the act of stroking an animal's fur lowers the human's blood pressure like a form of meditation.
As a Jewish educator reading this book, I could not help but reflect on the fact that, compared to the general population, far fewer Jews have pets. In the Orthodox and Hasidic communities, especially, it is rare to see a dog in the house. One reason is because dogs were used to track and kill people during the Holocaust and other persecutions, so they have bad associations for many Jews. I understand this. Still, I found myself wondering how many of those 282 non-dog-owners in the Brooklyn College study were Jewish. (Brooklyn has a high percentage of Jews.) Are we allowing Old World fears about dogs to deprive us of a valuable form of therapy?
The pet doesn't have to be a dog, however. Cats (of which I have ten!) are equally therapeutic. So are other species, such as birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, etc. Even watching a tank full of fish can help a person to relax. The important thing is the Bond between the animal(s) and the human(s). Reading this book confirmed in a scientific way what I have always believed in my heart: this special Bond is a healing gift that God designed into the very fabric of creation.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
Well rounded information on pets' extra-sensory abilities, 2003-02-11
Dr. Becker and Danelle Morton describe the positive effects that animals bring into our lives. They focus mostly on dogs and cats in this book and only briefly touch on other pets such as birds or rodents. They combine individual testimonials concerning animals assisting sick humans with data from researchers who study animal behaviour, and interviews with therapists who use animals for therapy. He sites several examples of nursing homes that have resident pets trained to assist in therapy sessions and discusses how these animals bring joy to lonely and/or ill elderly. More importantly, Dr. Becker details the type of pet best suited for a particular personality or illness.
He candidly points out that pets are not for everyone; that sharing your home with an animal requires great commitment and sometimes expense. He outlines the required care, loving and guidance needed. For me, this was the most important point in his book.
This book is well written, easy to read and absent of technical jargon. This book is not a treatise of recent scientific research on the subject of animal behavior or the use of animals in therapy. Most of the heart-warming stories are testimonials rather than solid scientific data, but anyone who truly shares a bond with an animal will appreciate these stories.
I recommend this book for anyone thinking of getting a pet, who already has a pet, or who simply loves animals. I particularly recommend this book to folks who see animals only as a commodity or worker/helper/hunter. It's an enlightening book.