In our day-to-day as Humans, we have incorporated animals into our lives, homes, and even workplaces. But overall, the way we view our animal companions is due for an update. This year in 2022 we can all hope to improve ourselves.
The Lessons We Often Forget
Richard Louv’s Newest book ‘Our Wild Calling’ is a collection of personal experiences, research, and viewpoints on the world around us and the creatures in it. It expands on how wild animals add as much value to our lives as domestic animals do, along with respectful interactions between you and the wild.
Studies conducted over the Covid-19 pandemic show that rates of loneliness and depression for younger people and those living alone have risen. Over the past two years, the stress caused by the pandemic has decreased slightly in the older generations (60 and under), but for children, young adults, and those living alone, the numbers have stayed consistently high throughout lockdowns and government regulation changes. For some, mental health decline can affect them minimally but for others, it can greatly impact their day-to-day lives.
Nature-based therapy is becoming a more popularised method of helping manage these conditions. According to people like Joanne Vining, and Patty-born Selly who are working to see animals integrated into Therapy and how this can aid our children in their development. Their work looks into how animals can help aid children with learning difficulties; the benefits of having animals in the classroom and helping parents understand the advantages. The aim is to bring our children and future closer to the wild; learn about the animals they share space with, and how to be respectful with the animal and the world around them.
By today’s standards of care, it is a known fact that pets can help alleviate stress in their owners. Petting your dog will release dopamine into the brain and hearing our cats purr just hits a frequency we all enjoy. But what about the wild ones? When encountering wild animals, with our current mindset most people see the wildlife as pests. Foxes running through people’s gardens; rabbits, and pigeons eating our waste. But taking the time to see these animals is an experience lost too many.
Richard Louv comments how it’s easier for children to have profound moments with animals but we often don’t take as much account of it.
As adults, we don’t seek that kind of wonder in our lives anymore, becoming consumed with work and general adult life stresses. Looking into the feeling and meaning of contact with wild animals often leads to it being described as a spiritual, personal, or sentimental experience.
But there is very little known on what that experience is on paper, and that is partly what makes it such a great thing to share between you and the critters we live with. Reading Our Wild Calling made me reflect on my own experiences with animals over the years and what I took away from those interactions. Spending one-to-one time with a creature of a different species forces you to reflect and interpret the interaction for yourself, filling the void between you and the animal. This is why it can be so moving, an unspoken interaction where there is a level of cross-species understanding that you have tapped into. A sense of strong personal connection and fulfilment can be just what is needed for yourself, or to show others this sense of wonder.
My Personal Experiences
My personal experiences with animals stem back a long way, as a child from the age of four I always wanted to be with animals. Being told by my mum that I wasn’t going to evolve into a dolphin like a Pokémon, I decided I would help animals instead. Over the years it changed from wanting to be a vet, to the animal rescuer, RSPCA officer, farmer. If it had animals involved, I wanted it. Spending a lot of my time in college learning animal welfare truly changed my perspective on life when looking through the eyes of the animals I came to know.
I have a lot of stories I can tell but I think one of my favourite moments was while I was working at an insect farm. I was doing a tour for a group of vulnerable adults; I was briefed that the people I would be caring for all suffer from different stages of dementia. I was expecting to see a lot of elderly people and I was semi-right, but I was taken aback by a younger man who was in his thirties. I spoke to the carers present and they explained this man developed early dementia and had returned to a young boy mentally along with having a very short span of memory. The rest of my team focused on the other visitors so I chose to spend my time with the younger man to guide him around the farm. He was nervous and I could tell that there wasn’t much I could do to comfort him, but maybe one of my favourite animals could help relieve his stress a little. I led him to the quieter part of the farm and pulled out a large African Land snail. These animals are very delicate and require a soft touch to help them feel comfortable enough to come out.
I wet my hands and quietly explained that all he needs to do is watch, and as we stayed quiet this little creature slowly pokes its eyestalks out. It takes a quick look, little eyes wiggling around to get an understanding of their surroundings. Being able to watch this man’s amazement as this soft delicate animal peers out of its shell will always stay with me. I could see the joy it brought him to see the snail react to his light stroking on its shell and in turn the joy it gave me to be able to share that feeling with another person. At that moment I felt like I was able to show another person the joy these animals brought to me every day. As the tour came to an end the carer thanked me for spending one-to-one time with her client. I smiled and showed them out.
As soon they were gone, I took my break and had myself a small happy cry. The rush of emotions hit me hard. As someone who suffers from depression, the fact I was able to share a beautiful moment with a stranger was overwhelming and wonderful, and it all came from that snail. The lynchpin of the interaction. Without that animal’s gentleness, I would have never been able to make that kind of impact on another person. It deepened my appreciation of the healing animals can do for your mental health. I was able to share my joy, passion, and love of this animal with someone new, and in turn, it affected the people around him too. I did my good deed of the day and I felt fulfilled emotionally and mentally in a way I hadn’t experienced before.
Interested in reading more? Consider how CB’s thoughts on animals can help to alleviate the Psychological Decline of Young Adults, as well as providing a well-appreciated escape from the effect of work burnout with GIS’ other posts.