Research has found that pet therapy reduces PTSD symptoms.
Photo courtesy of Flickr
In an effort to support victims of anti-asian hate crimes, the Korean Community Services Center in Bayside plans to facilitate pet therapy sessions to promote their recovery.
The first Pet Therapy Day will be held on Saturday, Oct. 7, at the KCS Community Center on 32nd Avenue in Bayside from 11 am to 1 pm This is one of their many initiatives to address the increase in anti-Asian hate crimes with community support.
About five puppies and three kittens from Best Friends Animal Society will be on site to create a safe place of mutual healing for victims of hate crimes and animals without permanent homes. But organizers say you don’t have to be the victim of a hate crime to attend. The event is open to everyone looking to connect with pets, whether it’s to destress or just for fun.
The event is also in partnership with Jenny and Moongchy, a unique pet store based in New Jersey that imports stylish pet accessories from South Korea. Gift bags filled with items from their store will be available at the event.
“Our goal is to create this safe place for them to really enjoy themselves and have fun,” said Sara Hwang, a program manager at KCS who organized the event. She said she was inspired by the pet therapy events her college held during finals week.
Animal-assisted therapy has been found in reduce PTSD symptoms, along with anxiety and depression. Being in the presence of animals can be comforting, elicit positive emotions and reduce feelings of isolation.
“Many of the victims I talked to were hurt, emotionally, mentally, and some of them physically. And it’s very unfortunate that whoever hurt them, they won’t help them heal,” said Hwang. “Through these programs and services that we provide, if they can walk away saying ‘I feel better. I feel safe in my community and I’m glad I got help,’ and I think we can make a little bit of a difference one at a time.”
In Nov. 11, KCS will host another pet therapy session in partnership with the Korean K9 Rescue, a volunteer dog-rescue organization based in Queens. The organization rescues homeless and abused dogs from South Korea and brings them to the United States for adoption.
KCS also has a state-licensed mental health clinic where clinicians provide culturally sensitive mental health services in both English and Korean. The center also facilitated a anti-Asian hate crime survey which found that the majority of respondents were concerned about being the victim of a hate crime. The pet therapy initiative is one of their attempts to increase direct services to community members in an effort to combat the issue.
Those with any symptoms of Covid-19, other infectious diseases and allergies are asked to avoid attending pet therapy events to keep the animals healthy.
