Animal Rescue Program Helps People Overcome Social Anxiety Post-Pandemic

Happy Paws, Happy Hearts is a unique Australia-based organization that’s dedicated to helping both animals and humans.

Source: Happy Paws Happy Hearts Foundation/Youtube

Based in Toowoomba, Australia, the organization works with the RSPCA to help socialize animals waiting to be adopted and mingles them with people who may need a little extra animal love. Many of the human participants in the program have mental health disabilities and social anxiety.

According to the WHO, the COVID-19 pandemic led to a 25 percent increase in the number of people with anxiety and depression worldwide. This program helps the animals socialize but also helps humans to overcome their social anxiety.

“I have heard some of our participants say Happy Paws is the only outing they’ve had from their home,” Carla Canning, chief operating officer at Happy Paws, Happy Hearts, told ABC News AU.

The program has seen the greatest success in two surprising animals, domestic rats Fidget and Wombat.

View this post on Instagram

“Rats are a lot more social than we actually give them credit for and I’ve certainly seen the rats really learn to love our people and the people really learn to love our rats as well,” Canning told ABC News AU.

People have the option to spend time with cats or dogs, but many people love snuggling with an animal that maybe they’ve never played with before.

“I guess the animal selection comes down to how people are feeling on the day. If somebody just wants to sit there and hold something small and soft, or have it run around their body and get that tactile feeling, versus maybe a dog who brings the energy in the room a little bit higher,” Canning said.

Many of the participants have gone on to adopt a furry friend from the program. This program is fantastic and brings so many people of all ages and backgrounds together who have struggled with mental health issues, and it leads to so many adoptions. Animals truly can help people overcome anxieties, and this model should be used all around the world!

Related Content:

• Animal Therapy Proves Useful for Cancer Patients and Caregivers
• These 5 Incredible Organizations Are Changing Lives by Training Shelter Dogs to Become Therapy Animals
• 8 Amazing Therapy Animals and Their Stories
• Therapy Animals Can Make a World of Difference – Help Make Programs More Accessible!
• Animal Sanctuary Begins Musical Mondays as Form of Therapy for the Rescued Animals!
• How to Adopt a Rescue Animal

For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily, subscribe to the One Green Planet Newsletter! Lastly, being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!