HARLINGEN — They’re a silent army of angels.
Descending to Earth in the guise of humble canines, they eat and breathe the passion of healing.
Instinctively, a therapy pet knows what to do. The pet walks calmly over to a child’s bed, displays just the right energy to show he’s excited to meet the child, and sits next to him or her.
That’s all the child needs. Confirmation comes when the child smiles slightly for the first time in days and runs a weak hand across the pet’s head.
Therapy dogs — and cats, and horses, llamas, alpacas, rabbits and even rats — are becoming increasingly popular.
Katherine Brookbank of Rio Grande Valley Therapy Pets said animals provide vital therapy to people in need. They go to senior citizen communities, schools for children with autism, nursing homes and pediatric facilities. They’re very good for people with Alzheimer’s.
“They’ve even brought pets into prisons and it’s the prisoners’ responsibility to take care of it,” she said.
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