| Pets help people overcoming social anxiety and shyness |
Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms
George Eliot |
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Animals can help us overcome many difficult moments or deal more easily with situations where we feel awkward, overcoming social anxiety and shyness
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I
was on a course with 12 people, none of whom I knew, and I was
terrified - I find it difficult to meet new people because I'm quite
shy. The
first thing the trainer did was to ask us to introduce ourselves, talk
about our role and give one piece of information about ourselves that
wasn’t work related. I
told everyone that I’d adopted a panda, and gave them a few details
about him – where he lives, what he eats and why I adopted him. Most
people’s faces lit up, the room’s atmosphere immediately became more
relaxed and I was really touched by their obvious interest.
During the break, several people came up to ask how I’d got him and how they could adopt a panda too. It
really broke the ice; and what was interesting was that no-one else got
that reaction to the piece of information they gave about themsevles. I
felt very proud of my panda; I took a photo of him in to show the group
the next day, and now I keep a photograph of him in my wallet to show
people. My panda certainly made
the whole course easier for me and has helped me overcome a lot of my
shyness and worry about starting conversations with people I don't know.
Anna |
When I worked
as a Careers Officer in Jersey, from time to time the Head of
Engineering at the college next door would come over to see the powers
that be in the Education Department, and he'd ask me to look after his
beautiful Old English Sheepdog while he was in meetings with them.
I was always
happy to oblige, particularly if I was doing career interviews - the
effect of the dog was amazing. Young people coming in would
immediately relax - you could see it in their faces and manner; they
would talk about pets at home, which was a great way to start a
conversation. Of course, we always checked with them first that it was
okay for the dog to sit in.
But what was
even more interesting was watching the reaction of business
people who'd often stop in for meetings, most usually at the end of the
day. I'd watch them come into my office, see this dog in the corner
who'd wag her tail in welcome - and watch the stress lift from the
employer's face and a wonderful smile emerge. That dog worked her magic
every time.
Sally |
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Pets make great social catalysts!
A
study of 339 families in the suburbs of Perth, Western Australia,
showed that animals increase social capital, and act as a lubricant for
social contact. The study found that:
- Pet owners are more likely to view suburbs as friendly
- They are more likely to exchange favours with a friend or neighbour.
- The
trust required in exchanging favours boosts the community spirit –
rather like leaving doors to homes open, as people used to do
- Pet
owners are more likely to take part in civic activities, volunteer, to
campaign for environmental or social causes and to serve as a coach or
instructor
The
study also noted that pets help people tackle some of the main physical
and mental health problems today e.g. obesity and a reluctance to take
exercise. Animals can make a difference, encouraging people to get out and about in safer environment. They give people huge confidence.
You
don’t need to own animals to benefit from animal magic – your
neighbours may have animals you can help out with or cuddle once or
twice a week. If
you live next door to a dog whose barking is driving you senseless, why
not offer to walk him for your neighbours occasionally? Or help an elderly neighbour with pet care? |
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Animals also play their part in politics, too!
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Russian President Putin thanked the
West for their help in preserving the Siberian tiger, who has come back
from the brink of extinction, at a time when relations between the US
and Russia have got very frosty indeed. More...
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Iran and the West may disagree on
the former's nuclear programme, but scientists from the two
countries do agree that the Asiatic cheetah needs help. Conservation
groups from the USA and UK are aiding a campaign being led by Iran's
Department of Environment and the UN Development Programme to try to
save the cheetah. It is now thought there are just under 100
cheetahs left roaming central regions of Iran, and although their
population is now stabilising, more needs to be done. More...
- And whether one agrees with it or not, China has given a number of countries pandas as goodwill gifts over the years.
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