You Have a Visitor: Observations on Pet Visitation and Therapy Book

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has become an accepted form of augmenting the healing processes that occur within the walls of healthcare facilities. The same joy and comfort animals provide at home can also benefit the eager patient or resident who awaits a visit from a volunteer and their pet.

Photographer Renee Lamm Esordi accompanied volunteers and their pets on visits to hospitals, nursing homes, schools, a youth camp, and special functions. She talked with healthcare staff, volunteers of various organizations, and many others about their experiences with these special visits. She witnessed and recorded the joyous responses of patients and residents who look forward to the companionship and conversation the visits provide. She also accompanied a volunteer on another type of visit: delivering pet food and supplies on behalf of an organization whose mission is to keep those living with HIV and AIDS from having to choose between taking care of themselves or taking care of their pet.

Her documentation of these interactions illustrate the pleasure people can derive from the simple presence of animals. These photographs tell a story not only of alternative methods of healing but also of compassion, unconditional love, and comfort that these visitors can bring.