Residents of a care home were treated to a very different kind of animal therapy when they were introduced to creatures of a creepy-crawly variety. 

Crawshaw Hall Care Home in Rossendale were visited by Zoo Lab, a company which brings exotic animals to residential care settings, schools, hospices, and prisons.

People living at the care home got to look at, hold and touch (if they opted to) some weird and wonderful creatures, including a giant African land snail, a Madagascar hissing cockroach, a horn snake, and a tarantula.

The Zoo Lab animal handlers are all "dementia friends" trained so that meant all the residents at Crawshaw Hall could be involved in what was a very enjoyable event.

Manager Shaun Morrissy said: “Each resident was given the opportunity to look at, touch and hold the animals while the presenters spent time talking about each one.

“Some could not wait to touch the animals whilst others were happy just to look - and the staff were definitely in this latter group.

“It was a great, stimulating activity for the residents.”

As well as bringing back happy memories of previous pets or animal-related experiences in places like zoos, animal therapy can have positive effects on unlocking memories for people with dementia/Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimers.net, an online community which supports people affected by Alzheimer’s, said about animal therapy: “While companionship is an obvious benefit, a well-timed animal visit may also help with anxiety and depression.

"It is not uncommon to watch someone transition from emotionless to joyful when an animal enters the room."