ANIMALS AS NATURAL THERAPY

Founded in 1999, Animals as Natural Therapy (ANT) is a non-profit organization that provides animal-assisted mental and behavioral health services for youth, veterans, elders, and their families. ANT has developed a well-researched and proven model that utilizes animals to help a person build trust, respect, and self-confidence. In turn participants find hope and healing as they learn to manage their own behaviors and negotiate healthy relationships. The experiential component enables one to physically explore their strengths, weaknesses, and options as they handle challenging situations that the animals present and this ultimately shifts their beliefs in their own capabilities.

ANT offers year-round services, and directly provides therapeutic, animal assisted therapy to over 500 participants, and more than 1100 community members, in a variety of innovative programs. Program includes individual and group sessions for youth, veteran sessions, Mobile ANT programming that brings animals to assisted care facilities, and addiction and recovery services. This is made possible by a large, dedicated group of volunteers. Fully, 88% of the funds raised through donations, grants and fees directly support the programming at ANT.

Nearly 75% of youth referred to ANT by organizations, schools and families as needing intervention are low-income according to 2020 Federal Poverty Levels and are deemed “at-risk”. These youth have high ACE scores (Adverse Childhood Experiences), have a history of trauma, and face a variety of obstacles that impede their ability to lead productive and fulfilling lives. These obstacles include criminal behavior (on their part or that of their parents), physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, anxiety, depression, and Post Traumatic Stress. Similarly, many of the veterans that we serve through the Wounded Warrior Project come to ANT to manage difficulties and reintegration to civilian life caused by Post Traumatic Stress.

Utilizing animals for experiential learning and healing/therapy is scientifically-backed. In the article, Psychosocial and Psychophysiological Effects of Human-Animal Interactions: The Possible Role of Oxytocin, researchers examined 69 original studies on Human-Animal Interaction and concluded the following positive effects:

• – improvement of social attention, behavior, interpersonal interaction, and mood
• – reduction of stress-related parameters such as cortisol, heart rate, and blood pressure
• – reduction of self-reported fear and anxiety
• – improvement of mental and physical health, especially cardiovascular health

Our twenty-two-year history of collaboration with local agencies and schools shows the depth of our experience in the field of mentoring and reflects the increasing demand for our services. In 2010 ANT achieved and has since maintained national recognition as a Premier Accredited Center with PATH International (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship), ensuring adherence to the highest industry standards of therapeutic horsemanship. ANT has been recognized for its value to our community by The Whatcom County Dispute Resolution Center honoring ANT with the Community Peace-builder Award in 2011 and was awarded “Nonprofit of the Year” by the Bellingham Chamber of Commerce in 2019.

"I connected so much with 'Mocha'. He let me do so much, and I think that he is starting to trust me a lot. I realized today that I learned about boundaries, trust, respect, and that I'm building a relationship." Teen in recovery