Animals in Hands, a mobile zoo, are one of many organisations bringing unusual visitors into care homes for residents to enjoy the physical and mental health benefits of animal therapy.
Animals in Hands was set up by former zookeeper Mo Safeer, who is known as the ‘Animal Man’. His care home visits include Royal Star & Garter in Solihull where residents were recently given the chance to hold and stroke a variety of creatures including a golden-knee tarantula, a barn owl, a royal python, a panther chameleon, a rabbit, a tortoise, and a black velvet chinchilla.
Find out more about the benefits of animal therapy in care homes from the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) https://arc-swp.nihr.ac.uk/research/projects/animals-wellbeing-care-homes/