Yesterday the local Center For Wellness gave us a noon “Brown Bag” program on “Emotional Support Animals”—at least that is how we advertised it. What we got was an amazing woman named A.K. talking about the two canine companions that help her make it through her days and nights. A.K.’s dogs are “psychiatric support” animals that she and others have trained. She explained that she suffers from severe PTSD, among other maladies, and quietly extolled her dogs for waking her from nightmares, guiding her to and from her apartment and outside destinations when mental lapses descend like fog on the brain, and even bringing her medicines. She could not live on her own without them.
The conversation included emotional support animals that we had advertised, and talk too of the pets that many of us don’t call that, but unthinkingly rely on for conversation, companionship, and help in raisiing our children. There was no surprise when someone brought up the dearth of animals in shelters and pet stores as the pandemic carries on.
A.K. showed us just how substantial and important our animal friends can be in this time of the pandemic. For an inspiring half hour, check this one out:
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