I have my horse and love him to pieces.
He is awesome in that I can let go of any emotions while I'm around him. When I "can't" cry, I can go visit him, and it's an instant relief.
I also just get into a world of my own when I'm with him, which is a great distraction.

We unfortunately live in an apartment, so my dog stays with my parents, but I cannot explain how beneficial it was for me to have my dog with me, when she still was.

It's not debatable - animals really do help to heal