Who greets us at home with genuine joy? It’s a pet – a cat or a dog, whose presence alone can improve our mood. Cats heal with their purring, dogs with their loyalty and joyful gaze, and horses with their strength and calm. It’s no wonder that the most popular videos and photos online are of cats and dogs – their ability to stir emotions is undeniable. Science confirms this too: the low-frequency vibrations of a cat’s purring (around 20–150 Hz) help reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and even promote bone and tissue healing. What seems to us like a simple, soothing sound turns out to be a biologically effective vibration that improves human well-being. Interaction with therapy dogs stimulates the release of oxytocin in people, helping reduce stress and strengthen emotional bonds.
This special connection is increasingly used in therapy – feline therapy, dog therapy, and equine therapy. Whether it is a scientifically proven method or simply a beautiful way to talk about the closeness between humans and animals can still be debated. However, anyone who has experienced such an encounter knows that the presence of animals can work wonders.
Recently, Rokiškis District Library organized an event about feline therapy, dog therapy, and horse therapy. A large group – eight representatives from Ludza, Rokiškis, and Šiauliai – gathered in Rokiškis to listen to a seminar on how cats and dogs help people and the benefits of their presence. The lectures would not have been so inspiring without the active participation of the “therapists” themselves – cats and dogs, both experienced and those still in training. Some had even travelled a long way from Kaunas to Rokiškis Library. The sessions were led by certified Lithuanian experts with years of experience – for example, Ugnė Nedzinskaitė, an animal behaviour specialist from the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, and Miglanda Aleksiejienė, a special education support specialist with her dog Setas.
Horses could not be brought into the library, so the seniors went to farms in the Rokiškis district.
At the library itself, the guests also tried out a sensory room created within the framework of the “Wind of Change” project.
The project has already been running for six months, with another year and a half ahead, and activities are planned for seniors and people with disabilities in the libraries of Rokiškis, Šiauliai, and Ludza. However, to fully launch all planned events in Ludza, one important step is needed – the construction of an elevator, which will ensure convenient access for all library visitors. The construction procurement process is currently underway and, hopefully, will soon conclude with the signing of a contract. Renovation work, especially in old buildings, is always a very complex and time-consuming process, requiring time, patience, money, good teamwork, and mutual understanding among all involved parties.
