Chemical Effect on the Brain  

Three main hormones are greatly affected by interacting with animals are:  

• Oxytocin  

• Serotonin 

• Dopamine 

These three are what make up a person’s personality. Serotonin vs. Dopamine vs. Oxytocin differentiate what each hormone does in the brain. The Oxytocin hormone, also known as the “love hormone,” aids in relaxation. Oxytocin reduces stress and develops behaviors like trust and empathy. This hormone gives satisfaction from affection and connection. Serotonin is another hormone that is affected by animal interaction. Serotonin plays a larger role in physical behavior and physical health than oxytocin does by maintaining and regulating emotions. Serotonin influences learning, memory, sleep, and happiness. So, this hormone is necessary for being in tune with one’s emotions. Dopamine is what supplies the feeling of reward and success. When college students are driven by anxiety, it is likely a lifestyle change that should be addressed. All three of these hormones have a series of chemical reactions that occur, each affecting the brain in a different aspect. 

History of Animal Therapy and Service Animals

Animals have a unique way to reach the human mind in ways talking to a therapist, friends, or even family may not be able to reach. Using The same HEMHA Guide, service animals have been used for almost a century now. Service animals are the most well-known method people use for aid from animals. Therapy animals can be used for companionship, emotional support, therapy, assistance, and service. Service animals are known to provide comfort and medical assistance to people who need aid in everyday situations. As I briefly stated previously, there is a difference between service dogs and emotional support animals. The NWBB states that emotional support animals are different from service dogs because there is no specialized training for emotional support animals like a service animal would receive. 

Difference between Service and Emotional Support Animals

Therapy animals are different from regular pets. Therapy animals are specifically trained to complete a given task or aid in unique situations. These medical therapy animals were related to serious medical cases. The general difference between a service animal and a therapy animal is that service animals are considered working dogs. Service animals are not restricted to a specific set of breeds to be certified by the ADA.  

The HEMHA Guide highlights the importance of understanding that working service dogs are not meant to be interacted with when working. Some laws prevent people from touching working animals without permission, so these events on campuses must be scheduled correctly. The ADA has also certified mini horses as appropriate candidates to be service animals. For psychologically related aid, there is a specific label that must be accredited to said service dog. A Psychiatric Service dog (PSD) is common among people with PTSD, panic disorders, and depression. A PSD is utilized to minimize the negative effects of people with psychiatric disorders. Since physical medical issues have been the reason for service animals, the transition to accepting PSD took longer than expected. 

Dogs 

Dogs are the most common animal species that are selected for animal therapy. Dogs are the ideal selection because they are easily trainable to do unique tasks. The dogs that are selected as service dogs are heavily evaluated before receiving training. These dogs must exhibit specific qualities in their demeanor, attentiveness, and energy levels. These are outstanding qualities in these dogs, meaning not every dog is suitable for this role. The issue with this system is the reluctance to call mental illness a reason to use a service dog. There are about five hundred thousand working service animals in the United States alone, each specially trained to aid their handler. The most common dog breeds to meet these requirements, according to the US Service Animals, are golden retrievers, labrador retrievers, German shepherds, border collies, and poodles.  

Therapy service dogs also have the opportunity to benefit people in hospital settings. Laurie McMahon, a board member of the Hinsdale Humane Society, explains that dogs have the unique ability to change people's mindsets. The Hinsdale Humane Society offers a Thunderpaws Pet Therapy program. This Humane Society has received positive reviews on this program. McMahon suggests that by simply having a friendly face in a time of struggle, people are more likely to feel stress relief. Her experience suggested that although other animals are beneficial to stress relief, dogs are the ideal choice because they can be brought into hospitals while other animals are not able to. She further makes the point that physical and mental reactions happen quickly when approached by service animals. However, it does depend on how much people like animals when determining how well Animal Therapy works. There is a difference between people who want to interact with a dog and people who don’t to which, those who do want to interact with animals are surely going to experience stress relief.  

Cats 

Cats also can liberate anxiety, especially when a cat pursues. Cats are an acceptable choice of therapy with people who dislike dogs. Like therapy dogs, cats used in therapy are evaluated based on behavior. Purina concludes that the ideal behavior is a cat that is gentle and friendly. Gentle cats are amazing at providing comfort. There are also relationships between cats and mental health the link shows that there are chemical reactions that occur when interacting with animals. When interacting with cats, the hormones oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin are released in the brain. By simply petting or interacting with a cat, college students may experience the correct emotional support they need.  

The Purina Veterinary Department notes that there are fewer cases where cats are used in therapy than dogs. Purina donates money to service animal support groups, finding value in these programs that support people with anxiety in social settings, hospitals, and academic centers. Another point made during our discussion was that cats boost a feeling of self-worth. Cats can be very particular when choosing to interact with people, so when there are people who feel less value in themselves, being welcomed by a feline provides a sense of confidence.  

Horses 

Equine therapy is entirely different from using a dog or cat. In the instance of interacting with a horse in a therapy setting, simple acts such as grooming can have a greater impact on mental health than people realize. Grooming is considered to be the most beneficial because it gives participants a calming method to process what is causing anxiety and mental stress. On top of grooming and learning how to handle a horse, even communicating and leading these intelligent animals has a positive effect. Grooming has been found by Gateway to Transformation LLC to be extremely effective since it requires each individual to be self-aware of their actions while establishing a connection and a bond.  

Another difference with equine therapy is that fewer organizations provide these services. Equine therapy is expected to show results in reducing stress and anxiety almost immediately upon interacting with the horse similar to other forms of animal therapy. Horses are extremely intelligent animals, and interacting with these animals can help with coping with past trauma, anxiety, depression, confidence, trust, and even social skills.   

Rectify Your Anxiety in College  

College students report struggling with releasing stress and feeling overwhelmed. More specifically, for college students with high anxiety and depressive episodes, finding a positive coping strategy in animal therapy, college students can reduce their anxiety and stress toward their academic achievements.