Farm animals have been known to share a co-dependent relationship with humans as far back as civilization itself. Farm animals serve many purposes however there’s one that is often be overlooked: Therapy for autistic children. Green Chimneys and Pegasus, both based in Brewster, New York, conceived to simultaneously aid children and animals alike.
WORKING WITH ANIMALS
Green Chimneys is a day and residential school that serves children with social, emotional, and behavioral issues, including autism and other disabilities, while incorporating animals for therapeutic purposes as well as to help them learn. The school serves around 240 children using what Director of the Farm and Wildlife Center, Michael Kaufmann, calls nature-based interaction. With the help of a therapist, the children interact with the animals to refine their motor skills by feeding them, tending to their care, and grasping the emotional connection they can forge with animals.
“There is an amazing educational aspect to working with animals, as well as personal growth,” Kaufmann would like all to understand. “And then there’s also a recreational aspect to being outdoors with animals. The combination makes the children feel good.”
Source: http://www.petlifestylesmagazine.com/articles/2021/01/40.html