Using Goats in a Animal Assisted Activities and as a Therapy Animals

We love our goats. They always make us smile! Our days can be stressful but we found that goats can really brighten our day. They are always happy to see us, interact and play. They even compete for our attention. This got us thinking, we could get the best of both worlds by starting a Therapy program using our goats.

So what is a Therapy goat? A Therapy goat is like any other Therapy animal, trained to provide affection and comfort to people. They are often used in hospitals, assisted living homes, nursing homes, schools, rehabilitation centers, hospices and others areas to help improve their well-being. Therapy animals are NOT required to be certified.

Research indicates that interaction with Therapy animals can temporarily affect the release of various neurotransmitters in the brain; levels of oxytocin (linked with bonding) and dopamine (involved in the reward-motivation system) are increased, while cortisol levels (an immuno suppressant associated with stress) are decreased. All of which are very beneficial to the patients. If goats make us smile, we figured they could make others smile too!

 A Therapy animal is different to a service animal. Service animals perform tasks for people with disabilities and have a legal right to accompany their owners into almost any area they need to go.

We raise Anglo Nubians, Saanens, British Alpine, Snoobians and miniature goats. Our Therapy goats are friendly and enjoy human contact. They are very well behaved in public. Our Therapy goats are specifically bred and raised for recreational, therapeutic and educational activities.