Full Text of HR0224 103rd General Assembly
HR0224 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, Therapy animals provide comfort, joy, and a sense | 3 | | of well-being to individuals in hospitals, nursing homes, | 4 | | schools, and other settings; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Therapy animals include dogs, cats, horses, | 6 | | rabbits, birds, and other animals that are specially trained | 7 | | to provide affection, support, and therapeutic benefits to | 8 | | individuals in need; and
| 9 | | WHEREAS, There is a growing body of research on therapy | 10 | | animals that demonstrates the wide variety of ways in which | 11 | | they can make a difference in our lives; and
| 12 | | WHEREAS, Therapy animals improve mental wellness by | 13 | | decreasing fear, anxiety, loneliness, and isolation; they | 14 | | influence our physical health through lowering perceived | 15 | | levels of pain, shortening recovery times, and even | 16 | | influencing those of us who are ill to have a more positive | 17 | | outlook about their future; and
| 18 | | WHEREAS, In addition to making us feel better, therapy | 19 | | animals can also help us learn by providing a source of | 20 | | motivation, stimulation, and focus that has been shown to | 21 | | foster reading abilities, including fluency and comprehension, |
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| 1 | | by giving those in need confidence to explore, socialize, and | 2 | | succeed; and
| 3 | | WHEREAS, Therapy Animal Day is a day to recognize and | 4 | | honor the dedication and hard work of therapy animals, their | 5 | | handlers, and the organizations that support their efforts; | 6 | | and
| 7 | | WHEREAS, Therapy Animal Day is an opportunity to raise | 8 | | awareness about the importance of therapy animals and their | 9 | | positive impact on individuals with physical, emotional, and | 10 | | cognitive disabilities; therefore, be it
| 11 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 12 | | HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 13 | | we declare April 30, 2023 as Illinois Therapy Animal Day as a | 14 | | way to recognize and honor therapy animal volunteers and their | 15 | | amazing animals; and be it further
| 16 | | RESOLVED, That we encourage all citizens of Illinois to | 17 | | recognize the important contributions of therapy animals and | 18 | | to support the organizations that train and provide these | 19 | | animals to individuals in need.
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