Cat Friendly Rehab Centers
Medically reviewed by
Brenda Munnerlyn, RN, BSNMarch 4, 2019
Many rehab centers are now allowing individuals to bring their pet with them to treatment. These facilities recognize that animals can have a positive impact on people in recovery and can help them on the road to sobriety by providing emotional support.
Furry Friends Allowed: Bringing Your Pet To Rehab
The process of addiction treatment and rehabilitation is often perceived as a painstaking process involving harsh withdrawal from drugs and/or alcohol. However, finding a rehab facility that is trustworthy and provides comfort that meets the needs of a patient is actually not as difficult as it may seem. A person who is apprehensive about admitting him or herself into a treatment facility, because he or she believes that it would involve being separated from a beloved pet should put aside any concerns. No longer is it necessary to question, What would I do with my pet while in rehab? or Wouldn’t having my cat with me during treatment make for a smooth transition and more pleasant experience? Not only are there a variety of options available for those seeking customized treatment, there are even facilities that allow pets, such as cats to come along.
Pets Are Therapy
In the medical field, more and more professionals who oversee and provide treatment for a variety of ills are continually reporting the benefits of allowing animals to be an integral part of rehabilitation processes. The integration of animals throughout a treatment process can be called:
- Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA)
- Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT)
Although including animals as a form of therapy for medical treatment is actually relatively new to medical literature and studies, research findings have been extremely promising thus far. Professionals note that allowing a pet, such as a cat, to be part of a patient’s treatment is groundbreaking in the way it affects the said patient’s demeanor and adherence to the treatment plan. This fact probably registers with animal owners around the world who know that oftentimes a pet is considered “part of the family,” and that animal caretaking can be emotional part of a person’s life.
Introducing
virtual care
Get treatment when
and how you need it.
What Addiction Treatment Centers Say
Since a pet can mean so much to its owner, patients seeking addiction treatment who also have a strong bond with their cat and do not want to be without the pet for the treatment process do not have to. Rehabilitation facilities recognize that pets are an important part of a person’s life. Not only is a cat a comfort to be around during day-to-day activities, but rehab centers know that the potential anxiety surrounding the start of a detoxification process is often relieved when allowing a pet to come along with a patient. Employees at rehab facilities understand that a pet can make all the difference when it comes to achieving success and maintaining emotional and mental stability, even through difficult circumstances.
How Patients Benefit
Patients who have been given the opportunity to experience addiction treatment by the side of their pet have reported:
- Reductions in anxiety
- Lower stress levels
- Positive thinking
- Increase in self-esteem
In addition, doctors have also noted that patients who have a pet with them experience therapeutic results, such as:
- Decreased blood pressure
- Lower heart rate
- Ease of common detox symptoms
Finding A Rehab That Is Right For You
Nothing is wrong with questioning the type of addiction treatment that is right for you or a friend. There are a wide array of options that are available for the type of treatment that is received, and the environment that one is immersed in throughout the rehab process. Many rehabilitation facilities take a holistic approach to treatment, understanding that there are multiple factors that attribute to success for patients who desire to be free of addiction, including permitting a cat to tag along with its owner.
Contact Us Today
If you know someone who is caught in the chaos of addiction to alcohol and/or drugs, the first step to getting help is by talking to a person who can point you in the right direction. Trusted, honest, and dedicated assistance is available. There is no need to wait. Please contact us at RehabCenter.net immediately, so that you or a loved one can receive the type of high-quality treatment that is deserved.
