DeKALB – Tails Humane Society is looking for volunteers for its Pawsitive TAILS animal-assisted activities program. Made possible by a grant from the Douglas C. and Lynn M. Roberts Family Foundation, the Pawsitive TAILS program coordinates visits of volunteers and their pets to a variety of human service organizations throughout DeKalb County.

“The Pawsitive TAILS program is just beginning, but our volunteers have already succeeded in positively impacting the lives of a number of DeKalb County residents,” said Lisa Smith, the program’s coordinator. “We’re currently concentrating on assisted living facilities in the county, but once we increase the size of our volunteer base, we plan to begin providing visits to other types of human service organizations as well.”

Positive interactions with pets have long been shown to have health benefits including stress reduction, lowered blood pressure and an increased sense of general well-being. Simply petting an animal can trigger a release of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine, which can elevate mood and have lasting positive effects.