# Three minutes with a donkey cuts teen depression > A new study shows that brief interactions with rescued donkeys and miniature horses can quickly reduce anxiety, sadness, and loneliness in teenagers. - Title: Three minutes with a donkey cuts teen depression · Futurism - Summary: A new study shows that brief interactions with rescued donkeys and miniature horses can quickly reduce anxiety, sadness, and loneliness in teenagers. The key… - Keywords: animal-assisted therapy, teenage mental health, depression, anxiety, donkeys, miniature horses, university of california davis, rebecca calisi-rodriguez, science reports, animal behavior, reciprocity, science - Source: Futurism — https://futurism.com/health-medicine/three-minutes-donkey-small-horse-teenagers-depression - Author: Frank Landymore - Published: 2026-09-20T17:00:00+00:00 - Read time: 1 min - Topics: animal-assisted therapy, teenage mental health, depression, anxiety, donkeys, miniature horses, university of california davis, rebecca calisi-rodriguez, science reports, animal behavior, reciprocity, science ## Three minutes changes teen mood A new study found that teenagers who spent just three minutes petting rescued donkeys and miniature horses immediately felt less anxious, sad, and lonely while feeling calmer. > interacting with nature could make such a positive difference so quickly ## The animals matter too Researchers focused on how the animals reacted to different interactions, recognizing that both the teen and the donkey are making choices and responding to each other. > You can't stand in a pasture watching a child and a donkey interact and pretend only one of them is having an experience ## Two different petting techniques tested Sixty-one teenagers were split into two groups: one gently stroked donkey backs while the other scratched their necks, which mimics how equines groom each other. ## Donkeys showed clear preferences Donkeys wriggled their lips more during neck-scratching and usually walked away when petted on the back, showing they had distinct preferences for how they wanted to be touched. ## Seeing choice matters most Teens who saw donkeys wriggle their lips experienced bigger decreases in loneliness, while those whose donkeys walked away had bigger reductions in sadness. The key was recognizing the animal's agency. > Seeing an animal exercise choice may make the interaction feel more authentic ## It's about reciprocity The real benefit comes from the two-way interaction where teens see the animal is free to approach, stay, or walk away. This authenticity is what makes the therapy work. > It's a story about reciprocity ## Key takeaway The key to animal therapy's effectiveness is reciprocal interaction where teens recognize the animal's choices and responses, not just petting technique.