Mention therapy and most people conjure up horrific tales of being twisted and turned for hours on a mat, at the mercy of a well-meaning but quite often cursed physio. Some may come up with a positive experience and mention a soothing dip in a hydrotherapy pool or the blissful experience of a massage.

But how many of us consider the therapeutic benefits of getting closer to animals?

The benefits are well known. Even if you can't physically touch the creature, it's possible to gain positive energy just by being near them. A study in America found that watching fish helped people who have had heart attacks because it slowed their heart rates.

The most common and most loved pets are of the furry, four-legged variety. Quite often, just the presence of a cat or dog can be enough to make life more comfortable.

Doris Witham from Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, says she would be lost without her feline friend Jasper. Doris, who has had a stroke and lives alone, cannot always move freely and relies on Jasper for company when she can't get out on "bad days". But Jasper, "a rather furry chap", has a less obvious benefit. "If I have pain in my legs or arms Jasper seems to sense it and will rub against them," she says. "The warmth gives me some relief."

Aside from being an ace cat masseur, Jasper's loud purr also helps Doris to relax and soothes her to sleep if the pain gets too much.

Although Jasper is one of many cats who makes his owner's life that bit happier, the idea of creating a business that brings pets to people doesn't seem to have caught on widely. One place that has realised the benefits is Pets as Therapy (PAT). "We have 4,500 volunteers throughout the country who take dogs and cats to places such as schools or residential and care homes," says Lena Hanen, deputy director and southern England manager. "People in homes may have lost their own pets or are unable to keep pets," she adds.

PAT also takes animals to people who are attending drug rehabilitation programmes or want to overcome a phobia of dogs. They are working on a programme to introduce young people with cerebral palsy to the joys of animals.

Dogs are described as man's best friend, but with training they can offer more than friendship. Organisations such as Support Dogs train dogs and their owners to work together. Support Dogs insist that the dog is a family or rescue dog and training is tailored to give exactly the right help.

Some dogs offer help simply by using their canine instincts. Justine Clark from Romford, Essex, has a back problem which makes bending impos-sible, so besides being a loving pal, her labrador Honey does all the bending and stretching.

"Honey's wonderful," says Justine. "If I need anything from a low cupboard she's there, providing she can grip it with her teeth. She also grabs the mail when the postman comes."

Amazingly, Honey had no formal training. "She's just adapted naturally to helping me," says Justine.

But what happens if you love animals, yet can't keep them at home? Kathy Sullivan, from London, knows just how that feels. Kathy, who has arthritis, cannot have a cat or dog because of allergies. Fortu-nately, her home is opposite a park where animals rule the roost. "I visit the park most days and just adore the animals", she says.

There are exotic birds, rabbits and ducks, but Kathy is in no doubt about her favourites. "It has to be the deer. The placid air about them is so soothing." Kathy jokes that this is probably due to her fondness for Bambi as a child. "I always forget about my aches and pains when I see them."

Another way to get close to a more exotic animal is at the zoo. Many hold sessions where you can get more intimately acquainted by feeding them or listening to talks abut them. You can even "adopt" an animal. Zoos have a scheme where you can sponsor animals and receive news and updates on their progress.

"People who sponsor the animals build up a deep rapport with them," said a spokesperson for London Zoo. "The joy they get from being near an animal that is 'theirs' is unmistakable."

Horses can provide valuable educational help as well as the chance to relax and roam on a beautiful creature. The Riding for the Disabled Association helps get people in the saddle at schools such as the Fortune Centre in Christchurch, Devon, where there are letter boards scattered around a riding arena to help riders who may have problems with spelling. By riding the horse on a set route they learn to spell words in the "wordpower" sessions which follow riding sessions.

Riders are also encouraged to get closer to the horses by weighing their food and feeding them. A spokesperson for the British Horse Society said: "The bonding between horse and rider can give a disabled person an immense feeling of freedom and allow them to experience new sensations through the feeling of being fully mobile".

So, if those aches and pains are getting you down and the bottles of pills from the doc aren't doing the trick, why not get a little closer to nature? Who knows, it could be the beginning of a purr-fect relationship.