Animal Companions (The Infinite Mind, Vol. 203)

Animal Companions In this show we explore Animal Companions. Can having a fish help people with Alzheimer's disease? Does having a dog lower your risk of depression? We hear the latest research on the health and mental health benefits of having pets. Guests include Dr. Alan Beck, Director of the Center for the Human-Animal Bond at the School of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue University and co-author of Between Pets and People: The Importance of Animal Companionship; Dr. Susan Cohen, a social worker at the Animal Medical Center in New York City; Dr. Harriet Ritvo, a professor of history at MIT whose books include The Animal Estate: The English and Other Creatures in the Victorian Age; and pet trainer Bash Dibra whose books include DogSpeak and Cat Speak. Hosted by Dr. Fred Goodwin and produced by the Peabody Award winning Lichtenstein Creative Media .