Pets as connectors in the youth center

August 5, 2024

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 bonds between them (Atla, 2020). Greater engagement and dedication to work have also been observed (Hall and Mills 2019, 10). For children and young people, it is important to note that pets can contribute to their healthy development (Endenburg and van Lith, 2011). Purewal et al. (2017) have observed the positive impact of pets on the emotional, behavioral, educational, and social development of children and young people.

At the Annekese Youth Center, youth workers have noticed that Jack Russell Terrier Jessa and the center's target group have helped young people to understand boundaries more clearly, overcome fears, and improve their self-expression skills. The dog makes it easier for young people to start communicating with their peers, using the pet as a starting point for conversation or playing with it together. It does not matter whether the young people speak the same language or not, so Jessa has been a great help in integrating different nationalities. Young people often see walking their pet outdoors as a reward rather than a chore.

Sources used:

Atla, H. (2020). Positive and negative aspects of dog-friendly HR practices. [Master's thesis, Tallinn University of Technology]. Digital Collection. https://digikogu.taltech.ee/et/Item/cfc29b34-8ed9-47bb-a096-09c77531ff2f

Endenburg, N., & van Lith, H. A. (2011). The influence of animals on the development of children. The Veterinary Journal, 190(2), 208-214.

Hall, S. S., Mills, D. S. (2019). Taking Dogs Into the Office: A Novel Strategy for Promoting

Work Engagement, Commitment and Quality of Life. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 6 (138). DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00138

Purewal, R., Christley, R., Kordas, K., Joinson, C., Meints, K., Gee, N., & Westgarth, C. (2017). Companion animals and child/adolescent development: A systematic review of the evidence. International journal of environmental research and public health, 14(3), 234.

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