Healing bonds: Animal assisted interventions with adjudicated male youth

Abstract

“Rook taught me how to stay calm and relaxed. He also taught me how to have time to wait for things and don’t rush. Most important, he showed me how to love.” This powerful statement came from Devon, an adjudicated male youth while reflecting on his time with Rook, a German Shepherd/Border Collie mix. Devon participated in Teacher’s Pet, an Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) nonprofit program. The program simultaneously helps youth and hard-to-adopt shelter dogs by providing a safe, therapeutic environment for learning together.