雖然目前絕大多數醫院都不允許動物入內，但英國皇家護理學院卻認為狗狗等動物能夠幫助患者康復，應該被允許進入醫院。據英媒報道，該機構正在制定相關準則，指導醫療機構安全有效地運用動物療法，從而使所有患者受益。然而，有學者對該機構的做法表示質疑，認為目前的研究尚不能證明動物對病患的康復起到了作用。

There is plenty of anecdotal evidence that animals reduce emotional stress for patients (file)

There is no evidence that so-called 'pet-therapy' works, according to a Yale University academic.
耶魯大學的一項研究稱，沒有證據表明所謂的“寵物療法”是行之有效的。

Practices, such as taking dogs on hospital wards, has shown a 'small-to-medium' reduction in patients' distress, found doctoral student Molly Crossman in her review of the medical literature.
博士在讀生茉莉?科羅斯曼在其醫學文獻綜述中指出，研究顯示，將狗狗帶到醫院病房的做法對于減輕病患痛苦有“輕微至中度”的效果。

However, she says it's unclear whether the animals deserve the credit as a high number of studies did not control for other possible factors.
但她認為，目前尚不確定這些動物是否真的起到了作用，因為許多研究都沒有控制其他的可能因素。

Her comments come as hospitals have been urged to let more dogs and other animals on to wards and even into operating theatres to help patients.
科羅斯曼發表此番言論是因為，人們敦促醫院讓更多狗狗和其他動物進入病房甚至手術室幫助病人。

The Royal College of Nursing made the appeal after collecting scores of anecdotal evidence of therapy animals helping recovery.
英國皇家護理學院在發出此項呼吁之前，收集了大量動物治療師幫助病人康復的傳聞證據。

Some young patients found having trained dogs accompany them to the anaesthetic room reduced their anxiety before and after surgery, they discovered.
他們發現，在受過訓練的狗狗陪伴下進入麻醉室，能夠減輕一些年輕患者的術前和術后焦慮感。

In a recent RCN survey of 750 nursing staff, 82 percent said pets encouraged patients to be more physically active and 60 percent believed animals improved physical recovery.
皇家護理學院近日對750名護理人員進行了調查，結果82%的人認為寵物促使病患更加積極活動，60%的人認為它們有助于病患的身體恢復。

But many nurses reported that animals were banned from where they worked due to health and safety concerns.
但許多護士稱，出于健康和安全方面的原因，醫院禁止寵物出入。

“沒有明確結論”

Crossman, writing in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, notes that the idea that animals are bene?cial for human mental health ?rst emerged in the 17th century, when a Quaker-run retreat in England encouraged mentally ill patients to interact with animals on its grounds.
科羅斯曼在《臨床心理學雜志》發表文章稱，動物對人類心理健康有益的觀點誕生于17世紀，英國有一家貴格會教徒管理的療養院基于這個原因鼓勵精神病患者和動物互動。

The father of psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud believed that dogs had a 'special sense' that allowed them to judge a person's character accurately. His favorite chow chow, Jo-Fi, attended all of his therapy sessions.
精神分析學之父西格蒙德?弗洛伊德認為狗擁有一種“特殊的感官”，它們能夠準確判斷一個人的性格。弗洛伊德最喜歡的中國松獅犬Jo-Fi參與了他的所有治療環節。

Nowadays, the therapeutic effects of animals have become widely accepted. San Francisco airport now has a pig to calm nervous travelers.
如今，動物具有治療功效的觀點已經被廣泛接受。舊金山機場現在有一頭小豬專門安撫緊張的旅客。

More people are bringing 'emotional support animals' on board planes – including turkeys, monkeys and other unusual pets – sparking a debate over whether this should be allowed.
越來越多的人將“提供情感支持的動物”帶上飛機，比如火雞、猴子以及其他不常見的寵物，這種行為到底該不該允許也產生了爭議。

But Crossman said we cannot yet draw clear conclusions on their benefits.
但科羅斯曼稱，對于動物的益處，我們目前還不能得出明確結論。

She said: 'The limited body of literature suggests that human–animal interaction produces small-to-medium reductions in distress; however, it remains unclear whether those reductions are because of the animals as opposed to other aspects of the interventions.
她說：“有限的文獻資料表明，人和動物之間的互動在減輕病痛方面能夠起到輕度至中度的作用，但是目前還不清楚，這些效果是因為動物，還是受到了其他因素的影響。”

'Despite the lack of research progress, the bene?ts are routinely overstated.'
“盡管缺乏研究進展，但動物對人類的幫助通常是被夸大的。”

寵物是“天然抗抑郁劑”

Keeping a pet is said to be a 'natural antidepressant', as cuddling a furry friend triggers release of the happy hormones serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin.
都說養寵物是一種“天然抗抑郁劑”，擁抱毛茸茸的動物朋友能夠刺激人體分泌血清素、催乳素和催產素等“快樂荷爾蒙”。

Many elderly people who suffer from dementia or Alzheimer's experience confusion and agitation in the evening, known as 'sundown syndrome'.
許多老年癡呆患者在夜間會感到精神錯亂、煩躁不安，這也被稱為“日落綜合征”。

Studies carried out at residential nursing homes in the US found that the presence of a dog distracted the patient from the aggressive and agitated behaviour, calmed them, reduced perception of loneliness and evoked feelings of happiness.
一項針對美國養老院的研究發現，狗狗的存在會緩解病人的好斗和暴躁行為，安撫病人情緒，減少孤獨感，激發幸福感。

Furthermore, an American study found that children of military staff who were close to a family pet coped better with the emotional stress of having a parent deployed overseas and other difficulties.
此外，一項美國研究還發現，與家庭寵物親近的軍人子女，能夠更好地應對父母被派遣到海外的情感壓力以及其他困難。

But it seems many hospital trusts are scared of health and safety ramifications.
但是，很多醫院信托機構都擔心健康和安全隱患。

Concerns that furry companions spread infections and other 'myths around the dangers' of allowing animals on wards are obstacles, according to Amanda Cheesley of the RNC.
皇家護理學院的阿曼達-切斯利稱，允許動物進入醫院的阻力包括擔心動物會傳播傳染病，以及其他“未知的危險”。

Yet a recent study has found that being exposed to pets from a young age lowers the risk of obesity and results in fewer allergies.
然而，最近一項研究發現，從小就接觸寵物的人患肥胖癥的風險較低，且過敏的情況較少。

Dogs in particular expose children to dirt and bacteria early in life, which creates early immunity, found scientists at the University of Alberta, in Canada.
加拿大艾伯塔大學的科學家發現，狗狗尤其會讓孩子在小時候接觸到灰塵和細菌，從而讓他們產生早期免疫力。

英文來源：每日郵報
翻譯&編輯：董靜
審校：yaning