The Animal Effect

At an early age, Ryan had an affinity to animals, not unlike his affinity to water.  As a family, we have always had dogs as pets, so right from birth, Ryan has always had an animal that he has lived with.  As soon as he was old enough, we put him on a horse.  As soon as he was old enough, he volunteered at a horse rescue. And as a family we spent one Christmas at Best Friend’s Animal Sanctuary in Utah, helping out with taking care of the dogs, rabbits and birds there.  You could say that Ryan was born into a family of animal lovers.  But what animals have done for Ryan is different from what animals do for a neurotypical.  

First, having a pet has provided two special things for Ryan. It has taught him how to be responsible and care for another being, (important for any child), and the more important of the two, having a positive emotional and mental effect. When Ryan needs a calming, emotional time out, his dog has always been there for him to cuddle with, and to give him unconditional love . The dog can also send Ryan a message when he is yelling as his dog will run from the room. It clearly upsets the dog, which in turn upsets Ryan. Ryan quickly is able to check his behavior by being aware of the dog’s behavior. For Ryan, the dogs and other pets in his life have helped him manage his emotional dysregulation.

There seems to be a special connection between neurodivergent children whether they are on the autism spectrum or have ADHD. It’s almost as if they can communicate in ways that the rest of us are unable to. Whether the animal intuitively understands the person, or if the person intuitively understands the animal, or both, it’s quite remarkable and somewhat miraculous to be in the presence of this exchange. The extreme calmness by the animal and human is beautiful. I guess tte wiring of the neurodivergent brain just seems to have that perfect code.

I’ve seen this in action with Ryan especially when he has spent time with horses. As a family we were fortunate enough to be involved with a horse rescue for over ten years. Both Ryan and his sister have a special connection there, and we spent almost every Saturday there until Ryan graduated high school. So often, if Ryan had a difficult week, that visit to the rescue was a lifesaver. Many of these horses had been abused and were going through rehab and were unrideable. For Ryan, this meant that he could spend time talking to them, hugging them, brushing them and of course mucking – always the “fun” part of spending time with horses! This activity always had a calming and recentering effect on him.

Other than dogs and horses, Ryan also likes cats, even though we can’t have them in our house due to his dad having allergies, So he visits our friends house where he can get his fill of their four cats. We have also had a rabbit, who was Ryan’s sister’s personal pet named, Meeko, and Ryan’s personal pet, a leopard gecko who went by the name of Thorin (from the Hobbit). Although he couldn’t really “play” with Thorin, he did play with Meeko who would play fetch as well as sit in Ryan’s lap for a good petting.

It’s well documented that animals provide emotional support for many who have anxiety and other mental health issues. It provides the same support for those who have ADHD and/or on the autism spectrum. Not unlike a fidget toy (I know it’s an odd comparison, but stay with me,) having a pet to stroke and play with while needing to focus on a difficult task can calm the numerous messages that the brain is sending.

When Ryan is away at school, he misses his dog horribly, but he is always looking for dogs when he is out and about, so that he can get some dog time. I understand that he is looking forward to the day when he can get his own. When that day arrives, the dog will be lucky to have Ryan, and Ryan will be lucky to have the dog.

For those of you who may be on the fence of whether to get a pet for yourself or for your family, I can’t recommend it enough.  And always, always consider a rescue and adoption. There are so many animals out there that need your love.  And there are so many animals out there that will give you love.  Rescue them and they’ll rescue you. A special thank you to our family’s dogs – Jasmine and Tiberias

Ryan’s first time on a horse