Animals are amazing creatures and I've been fascinated with them since I was very young. I've been blessed to have had the opportunity to be the Zoomobile Coordinator at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans for the past three and a half years. While there, I have found what I've known to be true since I was little, animals have an incredible power to help heal.
The Zoomobile is an outreach program from the Audubon Zoo. As the coordinator, I brought animals from the zoo to schools, hospitals, nursing homes and libraries (to name a few places) all over southeastern Louisiana. The program is run through the education department of the zoo but, I witnessed that beyond educating people we were able to really make an impact on people's lives.
There have been countless times that I was told things like "that was the first time we've seen that person smile", "willingly touch something", "talk". I visited a school for children with special needs and the next year that I went the kids were telling me what I brought last year. The teachers informed me that the kids had been talking about it all year.
Currently I'm in LSU-New Orleans' Doctorate of Physical Therapy program. My goal is to graduate and become an Animal Assisted Physical Therapist. I want to use what I learned working at the Audubon Zoo and integrate animals into my practice so that people will regain their health in a fun, fast way.
I welcome you to join me on my journey as I explore the healing power of animals.
