What makes cow therapy and animal therapy so unique?
Hugging a cow or similar large creature is thought to increase the synthesis of oxytocin, sometimes known as the “bonding/love hormone.” The chemical messenger oxytocin is widely regarded as the “substance” of happiness among the body’s various chemical messengers.
Cow therapy is still relatively new, but Karin aims to spread it throughout Arizona and the rest of the country, and others like her are doing so around the world. According to science, animal-assisted therapy provides numerous benefits in the treatment of mental illness, all of which improve a patient’s quality of life.
In Mesa, Arizona’s Oakwood Creative Care, a charming, little cow is causing a stir for uplifting and assisting elderly persons with memory problems.
Dolly Star comes to the adult day center once a week to bring joy and a unique kind of therapeutic company to the residents who have been diagnosed with neurological illnesses such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and schizophrenia.
These older individuals are forming new memories and recalling old ones as a result of their joyful meetings with Dolly. To affectionate pats and strokes, the little cow reacts with delighted licks. Residents reward the beautiful cow with marshmallows, which they learn are Dolly’s favorite delicacy.
Dolly’s owner and founder of the Dolly Star Foundation, Karin Boyle, says her father motivated her to make bovine therapy a mission. Her father, a farmer, had been admitted to a memory care center, and it was the company of his cattle that eventually helped him recover.
Yes, dogs are the most prominent character in the fascinating field of animal-assisted therapy. Horses, dolphins, cats, goats, birds, and pigs are among the creatures that have followed suit. Cow treatment is becoming one of the most popular therapies in the world.
This new wellness craze is known in the Netherlands as “koe knuffelen,” or “cow hugging.” In India, offenders are urged to participate in a cow treatment program because officials believe that these sacred creatures will improve their character.
Meanwhile, in California, The Gentle Barn is an animal rescue farm where visitors can hug cows, stroke pigs’ bellies, and snuggle a Turkey.
Mountain Horse Farm, a bed-and-breakfast in upstate New York, provides snuggling treatment with its Highlander-Angus cross-bred cows.
Watch the cute video here: