ABSTRACT
Animal-assisted therapy has been successfully utilized with abused children. The purpose of using a pet in therapy is to build a bridge and ease tension and anxiety. Piaget found that all children go through a stage of development when it is natural for them to ascribe human traits to animals. This aspect of treatment, called animal-assisted therapy, includes the animal as part of the therapeutic process. Feelings of traumatized children are often either numbed or greatly intensified, with these two extremes explained by post-traumatic stress disorder In fairy tales and mythology, animals play an important role in human interactions. Feelings of traumatized children are often either numbed or greatly intensified, with these two extremes explained by post-traumatic stress disorder. The presence of an animal in therapy for sexually abused children requires a specific approach to introduce the animal to the child. Therapists can also utilize animals to teach children affection, empathy, nurturance, responsibility, and self-acceptance.
