Ville-Evrard hospital near Paris is using donkey therapy to support patients with anxiety, depression, autism and schizophrenia. Its free public-health sessions pair patients with donkeys for walks, grooming and care. Nurse Ermelinda Hadey said the treatment does not replace prescriptions, but can help patients regain confidence and self-worth outside the routine of medication and wards.
When donkeys become therapists
A psychiatric hospital near Paris is helping people with mental health conditions through a unique animal therapy programme centred on donkeys, the only initiative of its kind in France.
Located within the Ville-Evrard hospital complex in Neuilly-sur-Marne, the programme operates from a setting surrounded by 19th-century farm buildings and woodland. During regular sessions, patients walk, groom and care for five therapy donkeys. Many participants form close bonds with the animals, often ending sessions with a hug.
"When you take medication that helps you relax ... it's exactly the same,” said Nathalie, a 60-year-old patient. She and other participants were identified only by their first names to protect their privacy.
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