Animals who are free to roam forage on plants, bark, clay, roots and other natural elements and substances to ease discomfort or imbalance, often long before they have any symptoms.
Whether they have infections, parasites, painful insect bites, stress, depression or any other ailment, they instinctively know what to seek out to ease their discomfort.
Zoopharmacognosy
The process in which animals instinctively select non-nutritive plant materials in order to self-medicate is called zoopharmacognosy, from the ancient Greek ‘zoo’ (animal), ‘pharmaco’ (remedy) and ‘gnosy’ (knowing). It’s how animals maintain optimal physical and emotional states, and it is one of their natural homeostatic behaviours.
But an animal who is not free to roam is not able to self-medicate.
We at the Captive Animal Enrichment Project acknowledge and understand both the healing potentials of plants and natural elements, and the wisdom present in animals through an innate knowledge which has ensured their survival in their natural habitats over millions of years.
We believe that all living beings deserve the very best quality of life possible and we are devoted to doing everything we can to reunite captive animals with the elements of nature that help restore balance and bring healing to them.
Happiness and health are inexorably linked.
The health of the environment, animals and people are inexorably linked.
We work toward the sophistication of health, for the good of all living beings.
Our Process
Our processes are based on cutting-edge research, coupled with many years of study, experience and observation within a variety of captive animal environments.
Our work could involve planting a garden of appropriate medicinal herbs, plants and grasses, or otherwise modifying elements of an animal’s enclosure or environment, or a combination, depending on the needs of the individual animal. We bring qualified CAEP volunteers to captive facilities where we offer animals the same nutritive and medicinal natural materials and derivatives that they would have access to if they were in their natural environments using ‘applied zoopharmacognosy’, and simulating a foraging experience for them.
We give these one-on-one consultations to individual animals, and respectfully vary the duration of sessions based on feedback from the animal. Through an understanding of how and what they have selected in our sessions, we are able to receive information directly from them in relation to where our support may be needed. Their selections may indicate anything from kidney imbalances to far more complex difficulties such as grief due to separation, fear and anxiety. Guided by responses of the animal, we offer further selections, alternative selections or a longer-term selection ‘menu’, all dependent on an understanding of their feedback.
We empower animals to take charge of their wellbeing, even in captivity.
How you can help
We are grateful for funding and donations from companies and individuals that support animal-based corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. These proceeds are used to improve the quality and availability of healing natural materials provided to captive animals.
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‘When we show our respect for other living things, they respond with respect for us’
– Arapaho Proverb
Please reach out if you would like to book a consultation, partner with us or volunteer.
Our task must be to free ourselves…by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.
Albert Einstein
