pet therapy

Last week I was flipping through the channels and caught the tail end of this MSNBC segment that follows up with a few dogs that were once prized fighters in Michael Vick's pack. We've already seen how well Leo has turned out through intensive training, and now we get a glimpse at the lives of Lucas and Georgia, who are being rehabilitated in California and Utah. Although Pit Bulls are generally stereotyped and given a bad rep from horrible stories (like the Vick case) and irresponsible pet parenting, these pooches prove that no matter what your past looks like, there's always room for love.

Obviously, I love animals! And I believe that they contain a special ability to help us heal – whether it's dogs, cats, or even horses! This time, our pony pals are taking the spotlight by helping disabled children, especially one boy stricken with extremely rare disease in the UK. The disease is called Chromosome 8 deletion (no super scientific name since there are only five cases in the world) that hinders a patient's ability to walk and talk. So far, a program offering "Hippotherapy" has been able to help 3-year-old Dyfan Wynne learn how to do just that!

Being offered at the Clwyd Special Riding Centre for the Disabled in the UK, Hippotherapy is a form of therapeutic horseback riding that allows special-needs children to learn how to use their limbs to sit, kneel, stand, and walk. Dyfan arrived at the center unable to perform these basic tasks, but after six months, he is joining in on vaulting competitions, and is even considering training for Dressage!