Date published: 2005/08/08
The BBC says:
Patients are to be given grants of up to £1,000 so they can boost their health by buying a pet.
Medical experts believe that looking after an animal can have a therapeutic effect on the owner.
Now, a health trust in south London, is running a pilot scheme which will allow doctors to offer the chance to care for a pet.
Lewisham Primary Care Trust said owning an animal can help people recover faster and reduce isolation.
Trust spokesman Oliver Lake said it is hoped a pet will keep the patient out of hospital.
Caseworkers will be allocated the budget and will decide which items will help to improve the patient's wellbeing.
Mr Lake said: "What is bought for the patient is dependent on what the caseworker believes is necessary for the patient in order to improve his or her health.
"Evidence suggests that caring for a pet can help patients get better, but there are many other options."
Other items that can be bought with the grant include a type of chair, air conditioning, heater, transport to a social club, or an overnight carer.
Five practices in the borough are taking part in the pilot.
You can get a cat from the Blue Cross for less than 50 pounds, so the quote of 1000 pounds would have to include a heck of a lot of cat food and future vet bills. And at that cost you might as well send people on a holiday to Spain to get some sun. And pets should not be considered to be toys, fit for dispensation to anyone and everyone. Of course there is some evidence of a correlation (i.e. a link) between owning pets and being healthy, but correlation is not the same as causation. It could just be that people with positive attitudes are more likely to be pet owners and healthy, and that just giving someone a pet (or whatever) will not directly make them healthier (but it might). There is no harm in doing a pilot but someone who is sufficiently independent should do the analysis of the results and determine if this really gives value for money. (You can just imagine the survey handed out: "Do you feel better now that we have handed over 1000 pounds to you?")
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