Pets as connectors in the youth center
At Tartu Youth Work Centre, pets are frequent guests: primarily Jack Russell terrier Jessa at Anneke, Pinto at Lilleke, and for example, basenji Maze at other centres. Recently, reading dog Yohanna visited us on Autovabaduse Boulevard, but young people's own pets have also visited, and during some school holidays, biologist Mirjam Zautina has introduced her exotic animals. Several studies have confirmed the positive impact of pets on the work environment and on children and young people. For example, a pet in the workplace helps boost employees' mood and supports the creation of interpersonal bonds (Atla, 2020). Increased engagement and dedication to work have also been observed (Hall and Mills 2019, 10). In the case of children and young people, it is important to note that pets can contribute to their healthy…
