Just recently we stumbled upon an interesting and effective way to rid oneself of all the stress, worries and noise in the head. You don’t need to enlist in one of those wellness centers situated on the outskirts. You can undergo this de-stress therapy right in the confines of your office or home. This novel concept is called Pet therapy! All you need is a rompy ball of fur and a pet therapist to guide you through this whole experience. Animal assisted therapy uses dogs or other animals to help humans cope with and recover from health problems including mental illnesses.

The Indian Pet Society has been formed by two animal loving youngsters; Adish Puri and Ipsita Gupta, with the prime focus on offering pet therapy to children and adults either individually or in small groups. In these therapy sessions they often use their own pet French Poodles. These canines have been trained to serve as assistance dogs.

Indian pet society through the therapy program aims to sow the seeds of compassion and responsibility towards animals in general and dogs in particular. In our recent conversation with the founders some other benefits associated with the pet therapy program were discussed. It was seen how these sessions extended beyond reducing stress in individuals. A recent therapy event for children was organized in Defence Colony, South Delhi. These were kids who did not own a pet at home. Some of these children harbored a fear of dogs. However, a close tete-a-tete with cutesy poodles helped them overcome this fear in a short span of 2 hours of this so called paw-party!

“Through this program we also educate participants on dog care, grooming and diet. As, many taking part are interested in adopting a dog in future,” highlighted Ipsita.

Adish added: “Such sessions aim to improve the individual’s overall wellbeing, mental and emotional functioning. Such interactions also help in bettering cognitive and social skills.”

The 5 assistance dogs were seen shaking hands as well as getting clicked with the kids. A photo booth installed in one corner was an instant hit as everyone present couldn’t get enough of it! The event concluded on an exciting note with the showcasing of a few tiny puppies that were seen happily mingling and licking away the participants.