This is the first time we’ve seen a horse return a cuddle!
An Oklahoman with her partly-paralyzed therapy kangaroo, who helps her overcome depression.
A rescued lion at Villa Lorena, Colombia, gives a worker a kiss.
We’d take a crack at hugging a hedgehog any day.
Head keeper of Sydney’s Koala Park gets a triple-decker hug from a mom and her two babies.
This Nuremberg zookeeper introducing a polar bear cub to his enclosure looks like he’s sending his kid off to kindergarten.
How often do cats hug back? And on camera, no less!
A nurse hugs Pisco, a llama.
A child going through chemotherapy gets a boost from a visiting puppy. Dogs elevate adrenaline levels, which helps their resistance of chemo’s side effects.
9 heartwarming photos of animals hugging humans
9/15/2012Holding an animal close definitely bestows its own form of healing (right between, say, an aspirin and a hot fudge sundae). Caring for animals has long been a form of therapy for recovering humans, and the assistance of animals can help people overcome challenges from blindness to PTSD. Imagine what life would be like if we all made a point of hugging a member of another species every day! We can draw straws on the porcupine.
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What is the most unusual animal you’ve ever held?
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