7 Ways Animal-assisted Therapy Can Help Addiction Recovery

Did you know spending just 30 minutes with a puppy can positively affect your brain chemistry? We look at the many benefits of animal-assisted therapy in addiction treatment.

If you’re an animal lover, you’re probably well aware of the uplifting effects pets have on your life. Indeed, spending just 30 minutes with a pup can positively affect your brain chemistry. And when applied to addiction treatment, these can have even farther-reaching impacts than you might expect.

First, let’s talk about what animal therapy is.

What is Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT)?

Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) consists of spending designated amounts of time with therapy pets during rehabilitation. The animals – in most cases mature dogs or horses – are carefully selected, trained and socialised. They then become your loving and supportive companions throughout each stage of your treatment.

Many recovering addicts say animal therapy helped them through the treatment process, but the evidence isn’t just anecdotal. In fact, several studies have backed