There is an interesting book named "Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy"  by Aubrey H. Fine, which describes the theoretical Foundations of this treatment. I think this one can be helpful and you can read some abstract online.

There is an interesting book named "Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy"  by Aubrey H. Fine, which describes the theoretical Foundations of this treatment. I think this one can be helpful and you can read some abstract online.

The presence of domesticated or baby animals not only cheers up institutionalized children, but also institutionalized geriatric patients.  We see this time and again with dogs trained to help the blind navigate the shoals of daily living.  We can explain this cheering phenomenon by hypothesizing that simple-minded individuals-- the extremely young and the extremely old-- find it difficult and even comical to conceive that "dumb" animals have enough knowledge to "fit into" the highly regimented institutional ambiance.