Continuum of Care, Inc.’s mission is to enable people who are challenged with mental illness, intellectual disabilities, addiction, or homelessness to rebuild a meaningful life and thrive in the community.
Pet Therapy
Pet Therapy is known to help with a variety of conditions such as mental illness, ADHD, autism, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and more.
For most people, the presence of an animal prompts the body to release serotonin, prolactin, and oxytocin; thereby elevating overall mood and outlook.
Interacting with animals often reduces anxiety and symptoms of depression. encourages socialization and communication, and deflates the overwhelming sense of loneliness and isolation.
Continuum partners with Zen Dog CT of Guilford. Their mission is to save stray, abandoned, shelter, and owner surrender dogs of all breeds and ages by placing them in qualified, caring, lifelong homes. The dogs chosen for pet therapy are fostered by us and appropriately trained for pet therapy specifically.
We've seen astounding results with Pet Therapy at Continuum. Here are two examples:
- Thanks to pet therapy, our client Mike has a sense of calm, focus, and purpose. He has
recently been selected to go through certification training to become one of our next dog handlers who will take a therapy dog to visit fellow residents at Continuum and offer sessions with the dog that are therapeutic for them.
- Twenty year-old Jenna has a history of childhood trauma and sever eating disorder. She engages in pet therapy regularly and had even had sleepovers with one of the dogs she
bonded with. Ever since, Jenna has all but stopped from engaging in self-harm behaviors and
emotional dis-regulation. She now comes out of her room to socialize with others and has
more structure as she learns to become an independent adult.
We need your help to expand our Pet Therapy program to reach more clients.
Please help us afford food and supplies for these extra special dogs. We can't do this without the support from people like you.