Animal Miracles: The Healing Power of Pets

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| Print | By Jo Singer | August 25, 2009 12:16 PM

"There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man."

This famous quote, attributed to Sir Winston Churchill, definitely sets the stage as an introduction to a very significant and moving story about the healing relationships that are formed between humans and animals. Whether they are pampered house pets or powerful horses, it makes no difference.

"There is indeed a reason why animals have made such an impact upon the lives of so many people, and that sharing one's heart and home with a pet is calming and soothing to us. Holding a purring cat can lower blood pressure, and elevate our mood. In fact, pets can be a strong "social" indicator in the prognosis for recovery from heart attacks and other major illnesses. Physicians frequently are now prescribing pets for patients who are stressed out, lonely, depressed, or are dealing with a variety of emotional disorders.

Animal assisted therapy is now widely used for patients not responsive to traditional treatment. Autistic children often begin communicating to dolphins since it may be far less threatening to them than people and dolphins apparently "tune in" well with these special youngsters and invite verbal contact.

Therapeutic horseback riding is now a recognized and "main stream" treatment modality that holds great promise in working for widely diverse medical conditions, ranging from physical disabilities to emotional, behavioral, learning disabilities and substance abuse issues.

The healing power of pets and animals is no mystery. The contribution that they make to our lives has been thoroughly documented scientifically and by anecdotal stories as well.
I recently discovered an "animal miracle" on the Internet that Alan Thicke, a well renowned actor, producer, song writer and TV talk show host who is passionate about animals and who fully understands how these "magical relationships" which often spontaneously develop between a suffering human and an unconditionally loving animal can work its wonders.

Mr. Thicke recently featured this touching story on one of his TV shows. As I watched, I was deeply touched and reminded about the love I shared with some amazing horses over the years, and the joy I felt in their presence. They became my best friends and contributed their vitality and spirit which always left me feeling that all was right with the world.

The video, uploaded to YouTube by Phyllis1221, the woman that the story is about, eloquently tells the story about Phyllis who through a series of unfortunate events became emotionally bankrupt, an alcoholic, jailed, and deeply depressed. She no longer had a reason to want to live. But then Shag-Ra, a horse who also was in need of love and attention changed her life forever. This is a wonderfully uplifting video to which I think all animal lovers will attune. It certainly inspired me and I hope it will leave your heart singing as well.

The Song "LOVE LED ME TO YOU" was written and sung for Shag-Ra and Phyllis by Wayne Rostad, host of "On the Road Again" for their story of love.

What were your reactions to this compelling story? Please leave a comment and share them with us.

RELATED TOPICS: Blogs (225) , Cats (79) , Dogs (40) , Pet Ownership (12) , Service Animals (5) , Stories (7)

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Vicki August 25, 2009 1:12 PM

I love this story. What an amazing connection this woman has with this special horse. It is always uplifting to see stories like this.

Heather August 25, 2009 1:19 PM

What I fantastic and very true story. I can only hope a lot of people view this amd realize just how much pets do help us.

jmuhj August 25, 2009 3:02 PM

The power of unconditional love and loyalty has always been valued; in today's deeply troubled and dysfunctional societies, their worth is unprecedented. Cats, in particular, have been proven to have healing powers, both through their deep bonds of affection with humans, and physically, with their purrs, which are proven to help strengthen our bones! and to lower our blood pressure.

Amy August 25, 2009 4:15 PM

What with all the bad things happening in this world it is heart warming to see there is still love.

Linda August 26, 2009 12:45 PM

Wonderful story. Thanks for sharing. I saw a video of the horse before, but not the story behind it. Horses are amazing in their ability to heal.

~Linda
Pretty Pony Pastures

Lucy August 26, 2009 2:27 PM

Phyllis needed love - and she found it by opening her heart and giving love to a horse in need of love. That's the thing about love - the more you get, the more you have to give away.

Min August 26, 2009 3:28 PM

Unconditional love.......a most precious gift !!!!

Bev August 26, 2009 9:42 PM

What a wonderful story. I laughed and cried watching the video. I'm so happy that nowadays, many hospitals and care centers are allowing people to have visits from their pets. It works wonders on their state of mind and their recovery!

Gail Andolina August 27, 2009 7:55 AM

I have a question that i hope someone could answer for me. I have an 8 yr old pomperian who is prone to getting kennel cough and colds, would like to know what i could give her to suppress the cough other then keep running her twice a yr to the vet for the cough/cold? I know dogs are on basically the same meds were on for different thing, now what can i give her for the cough??

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