What Is Cow Hugging Therapy?

1
W H A T I S C O W H U G G I N G T H E R A P Y ?
2
C O W T H E R A P Y
W H A T I S I T ?
Simply put It is what it says it is. You can
schedule a private session with a cow, cuddle
them, or simply hang out with them for an hour
at the barn. You are welcome to bring one
additional person if you like. Still, two people
are the maximum to avoid overwhelming the
cow. According to The Gentle Barn, this can give
you a sense of stability, renewal, and
relaxation. They even say it might lessen the
effects of compassion fatigue. And people appear
to be enjoying their cow-hug experiences
worldwide (and posting them on social media).
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D O E S T H E C O W A P P R O V E O F
A L L O F T H I S H U G G I N G ?

• Cows are large animals that can weigh thousands
  of pounds, so if they dont like the idea or are
  currently feeling overly hugged, they could
  likely kick you and injure you.
• You can check with the farm sanctuary staff and
  caregivers to ensure the cows arent
  overstimulated. You could also inquire as to how
  to approach the cows most effectively.
• Cows that dont mind a lot of human contacts are
  typically chosen by the farms and sanctuaries
  that offer this practice. Cows enjoy massaging
  certain parts of their bodies, such as their
  upper back and neck.

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D O C O W H U G S
W O R K ?
Although cow hugging is relatively new, a 2011
study by NCBI did find that using farm animals,
specifically cows, in animal-assisted therapy
helped people with psychiatric disorders feel
less depressed. Therefore, the Gentle Barns
staff may be onto something. The chemical
oxytocin is released when we hug someone,
including an animal. This hormone has been
linked to bonding, love, happiness, and less
anxiety. Hugs can also reduce the fear of anxiety
and bring warmthness from within.
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THANK YOU
Y o u c a n r e a d m o r e a b o u t i t h e r e
W h a t I s C o H u g g i n g T h e r a p y ?