The councilors of Social Welfare and Inclusion and Animal Welfare, Marci Acuña and Armando Santana respectively, have visited the facilities of the Education and Animal Assisted Therapy Center LanzÁnimal, a shelter located in the town of Guatiza that specializes in animal therapy and its link with the human being.
Also attending the meeting were about fifteen people from the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Unit (URPS) and the Semi-Residential Addiction Care Unit, where they were able to learn about the work being done in this project for the benefit of abandoned animals.
Marci Acuña stressed the importance of this project to improve the quality of life of people with disorders, as well as those facing situations of social exclusion. "Initiatives like this create a safe and enriching environment where users can develop social skills, strengthen their self-esteem and advance in their personal recovery processes," she said.
For his part, Councilor Armando Santana said that "this center provides us with an unbeatable space to work from empathy, respect and connection with nature." "In the coming years we will try to increase the economic amount of these facilities for greater comfort," he added.
In this sense, the person in charge of the project, Verónica Pillón, pointed out that "this center represents a pioneering initiative in Lanzarote that unites animal care with social inclusion and the emotional health of people." In addition, she stressed that this project not only offers an innovative therapeutic alternative, but also promotes greater awareness about animal welfare.
LanzÁnimal, the facility that combines animal welfare with social welfare
LanzÁnimal is a shelter that goes far beyond animal rescue. It is a learning and social impact center whose objective is to combine animal welfare with social welfare and demonstrate the benefits of establishing connections with human beings.
This non-profit association arose during the pandemic, when Verónica Pillón had the idea of creating a space in Lanzarote that would combine animal rescue with social inclusion through assisted therapies. But it was not until March 2021 that this multidisciplinary organization could be fully activated, due to health restrictions.
With regard to the therapeutic part, the team currently works with minors with pathologies, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Asperger's, as well as young people at risk of social exclusion or with school problems.