Westchester pet rescue offers kitten therapy
For Julie Cialone and Marla Valentine, co-directors of Rock n’ Rescue in South Salem, N.Y., adoption is not only about giving a home to a pet in need but also providing emotional support to the community. The organization, which has has cats, dogs, rabbits and guinea pigs for adoption, offers services to residents in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
“We started noticing that a lot of our adopters would report stories about how our animals had impacted their life on a more health and wellness side,” said Cialone. “Then we started taking a more therapeutic approach and started thinking that we weren’t just saving animals but we were saving the people involved in the rescue.”
Rock n’ Rescue offers pet therapy programs for nursing homes, hospitals and schools around the area. Some of the programs include the “Kitty Clubs” at nursing homes during which six to 10 kitten are brought to the facility to play and spend time with the residents.
One of Rock n’ Rescue partners is Ann’s Place in Danbury, a cancer support center. During the therapy sessions, participants gather in a circle around a play pen. Volunteers then go around and ask people what they’re feeling as they play with the kittens. After that activity, participants get paired with kittens for “cuddle time.”
“Some of the residents are unable to verbalize what they’re feeling and their emotions, so we utilize the kittens to engage with their emotions,” said Valentine, who is trained as a social worker. Other Connecticut facilities that collaborate with Rock n’ Rescue include River Glen Health Care Center, a nursing facility located in Southbury.
Even when residents at facilities don’t want to participate in the activities, being able to just observe the kittens makes a difference to their mood, said Valentine.
“Laughter is an important part of the therapeutic process...Seeing people be happy with animals, makes other people happy too,” said Cialone, who also added that sometimes Rock n’ Rescue dresses the kittens in costumes.