Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/robotic-pets/

It’s no secret that dogs and cats help comfort people and make them feel happier and more at ease, but the animals that the residents at Fellowship Community in Whitehall, Pennsylvania are cuddling up with are not your ordinary pets.

The residents were given robotic dogs and cats, which gives them the feels of pet ownership without having to bring in real animals.

While they do get visits from real dogs such as Ruby the service dog, it is not nearly enough time for them to spend with an animal.

The robotic pets give them the opportunity to spend as much time as they need with them, and they have enormous benefit to them.

They have helped the residents feel calm and gives them a sense of companionship, as well as responsibility like they are caring for the pets. They have also helped spark memories for some of the residents who have dementia.

“To see their faces literally light up you know the minute they’re handed one of these animals is literally priceless,” Fellowship President and CEO Mary Kay McMahon told WFMZ.

The robotic pets cost anywhere from $120 to $150 each. Fellowship is lucky to now have 20 of them, thanks to a $2,500 grant they received from the Greater Lehigh Valley Realtors.

They are hoping to get more robotic pets in the future, since they believe more and more residents will start wanting them after seeing how comforting they are.

Learn more in the video below:

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Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog