Learning the rules by playing with Sky and Roy, here is pet therapy

SHOVEL. Sweet, cheerful and wagging their tail. They are Sky and Roy, two border collies protagonists of a special project chosen, as the only Italian job, to participate in the first Aiuca meeting (Italian Association for the use of assistance dogs) held at Dogana Veneta in Lazise. "The children of the maternal Pinocchio di Montefoscoli have learned to know Sky and Roy, to approach them correctly", explains Simila Laiatici, owner of the "Mask of Tutankhamun" cattery in Palaia, "to establish a relationship that can give so much and teach many things ». This in synthesis is the meeting between the little students and the 4-legged friends. «We have shown the children - continues Simila who also collaborates with the Stella Maris in Fauglia with her animal-assisted therapies - how to take care of a dog, how to brush, caress. What are the right techniques and the proper moves to brush his teeth or clean his ears. We explained what it is that scares dogs, so much that they make them bite. " Eye to eye, face to face. If these two worlds, that of childhood and that of animals, touch each other correctly, the benefits are enormous. «Each child was accompanied on a path where the dog, playmate and walker, performed basic commands such as" sit "," stay "," ground ", using the positive reinforcement of the reward after having done the exercise correctly. The children learned this information easily - adds the Pet therapy expert - and even the parents who were skeptical at the beginning had to change their mind ». Because dogs accompany them in their growth, they stimulate interest, imagination and drawing. But there is more. "Pet-therapy activities - broadens Simila horizons - in addition to having didactic purposes, develop socio-educational skills through the observation of small social rules, respect for living creatures and the improvement of space-time organization" . Pa.S.

https://iltirreno.gelocal.it/pontedera/cronaca/2011/11/24/news/imparare-le-regole-giocando-con-sky-e-roy-ecco-la-pet-therapy-1.2817054

Many studies have shown that contact with animals helps people overcome learning difficulties, emotional problems and more. Not all families can afford a pet, therefore our zoo center allows children to enjoy the benefits of having a pet through the IAA supported by our qualified instructor.

At the center you will be able to learn from the most common animals such as chickens, geese, sheep to rarer animals such as alpacas.

Our alpacas were in a psychiatric rehabilitation facility in contact with autistic children and with delay for a project called "HEALTH project" of the por fse in collaboration with Europe in which our Laiatici Simila was the internal manager for both the children institution and other disadvantaged people participating in the project itself.

You will find African giant snails known at the first world conference on animal and plant welfare held in Slovenia in 2018 where Simila exhibited one of our projects in collaboration with the Tellington TTouch.

Children, people, will be able to see the bees and the building inside the hive through a special hive built with a glass part that gives the possibility of being looked at inside.

We will be able to combine or separate the visit to the various animals according to individual needs ...