Role of pets and animal assisted therapy in suicide prevention

Preventive measures in suicidal patients include immediate crisis management with rapid-acting medications and hospital admission of patients who are at extremely elevated risk, creating a safety plan, eliminating any means which may facilitate self-injury, preliminary treatment of underlying psychiatric illnesses, psychotherapy, and assuring the continuity of care between the hospital and primary care/mental health professionals. One emerging prevention program that targets such suicide-related factors as isolation and psychological pain is the Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) that incorporate animals for therapeutic benefits and improve general health and well-being.