We are PAWS-itive you are going to enjoy this one! We are taking this op-PAW-tunity to show off the furry friends of the Touchstone Health Services Prevention Department team. Dogs, cats, reptiles, emotional support animals, or service animals, we ulti-mutt-ly love them all!

Before we dive into showing off our fur-babies, we want to take a moment to acknowledge that the holiday season can be a challenging time for some. Loneliness can be a struggle during the holidays for multiple reasons; missing a lost loved one, not having someone to share festivities with or separations of families. Expectations of gift buying or participating in events can be financially challenging for some and bring added stress during holidays. Physical limitations or illnesses are also a reason some people may not enjoy the holiday season like everyone deserves to. 

One way to cope with stress or “ruff” feelings this holiday season, is to spend quality time and offer plenty of pets… to your pet! According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 

“Interacting with animals has been shown to decrease levels of cortisol (a stress-related hormone) and lower blood pressure. Other studies have found that animals can reduce loneliness, increase feelings of social support, and boost your mood.”  Visit https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2018/02/power-pets to learn more about “The Power of Pets”.

Now for the meow-ment we’ve been waiting for… here are our PURRRRRRR-FECT holiday-inspired pets!

Now for the meow-ment we’ve been waiting for… here are our PURRRRRRR-FECT holiday-inspired pets!

Here’s how YOU can be a Prevention Partner:

If you or someone you care about is feeling overwhelmed with emotions like sadness, depression, or anxiety, or feel like you want to harm yourself or others: