4 wellness retreats in India betting on animals to help you unwind

Summary

Wellness destinations go beyond traditional treatments to include companion animals for an enhanced experience

Wellness retreats across the country have started to add spending time with farm animals to their guest experiences. Activities such as petting a cow, grooming a horse and walking a dog are showing up on itineraries at such properties.

There are various benefits to this kind of contact, doctors say. "For many people, animals provide a form of non-judgmental social interaction, which can reduce feelings of loneliness and make it easier to relax and engage. Petting, grooming, walking or simply being around an animal can shift attention away from repetitive thoughts and create a more present-focused experience," says Dr Mehezabin Dordi, Clinical Psychologist at Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai.

Dr Sayantini Mukherjee, Consultant Psychiatrist at Manipal Hospital in Pune, points to a physiological basis as well. "Interaction with animals, particularly when a person is comfortable and naturally inclined towards them, may influence neurochemical pathways involving oxytocin and serotonin, which are associated with positive mood and stress regulation. Such interactions may also help reduce the body's stress response, including sympathetic nervous system activity and cortisol levels."

I experienced this first-hand on a visit to Swastik Wellbeing Sanctuary, a 51-acre wellness retreat in Pune. I had kept a polite distance from anything on four legs after a dog bit me as a child. At Swastik, I tried to overcome this fear and discomfort by hand-feeding jaggery and chana balls to a cow the size of a large golden retriever. One nudged my hand impatiently when I stopped feeding it; another rubbed its head against my arm. I liked it more than I expected to. Strangely enough, it felt soothing.

But, this interaction doesn't amount to animal therapy which is a clinical term. "Animal-assisted therapy involves the deliberate incorporation of an animal into a structured therapeutic process, led by an appropriately qualified health professional, with defined therapeutic goals and monitoring," Dordi explains. If a resort offers cow petting or a horse walk as a relaxation activity, she says, that's wellness-promoting, not therapy. "The professional qualifications of the therapist, the training and suitability of the animal, therapeutic objectives, safety procedures and animal welfare all matter," she adds, distinguishing a genuine clinical intervention from a spa-menu add-on.

Incidentally, cow hugging emerged as a wellness trend reported a BBC story in 2020. With that in mind, here are four retreats currently building animal time into their guest experience. It's perfect for those who love four-legged creatures and others who might consider overcoming their fears of being around them.

Swastik Wellbeing Sanctuary, Pune

At this wellness retreat, guests feed and pet Punganur cows, a dwarf breed native to Andhra Pradesh. The ritual is deliberately left unstructured. "Guests are encouraged to approach the cows gently, feed, stroke, or simply sit beside them. The ritual offers an opportunity to pause, be present and connect through simple, gentle touch," says Dr Milind Salunkhe, Director of Seeker Experience and Wellness Outreach at Swastik. He sees it as especially useful for guests who struggle to switch off. "For people, particularly those who find it difficult to slow down or disconnect mentally, the experience can be very grounding." It sits alongside the property's meditation, sound healing, massage and physiotherapy programmes.

Fazlani Natures Nest, Vadgaon

Fazlani sits on 68 acres of forest and farmland overlooking the Sahyadris, with ducks on the water and pheasants moving through the grounds. The property runs a stud farm with over 20 horses, used specifically for equine therapy alongside its naturopathy and Ayurveda programmes. Nobody rides on day one. Guests first spend time simply being around the horses -- brushing their coats, filling a feed bucket, feeding or walking with them. Riding is introduced only once a guest is comfortable, and even then it's positioned less as sport and more as a way to quiet the mind. The equine therapy sessions are led by qualified facilitators.

Kanasu Wellness, Udupi, Karnataka

Set along the coastal forests of Udupi, this Ayurvedic wellness resort is built around wooden cottages, a herbal garden, fruit orchards and an in-house cold-pressed oil unit. At the heart of this resort is a goshala (cowshed), where guests can feed, brush or simply sit quietly with the cows. It's positioned as a grounding pause between the resort's other offerings which include Naturopathy, sound therapy, homa therapy, yoga, meditation, and pranic healing. The milk the cows produce also goes into the kitchen's therapeutic preparations. The goshala isn't purely experiential, it feeds directly into the property's treatment system.

Kamdhenu Arogya Wellness Sansthan, Nuh, Haryana

This Ayurvedic and naturopathy centre, in the Aravalli belt near Gurugram, runs what it calls 'gau sparsh chikitsa,' or cow-touch therapy. It was founded by retired IAS officer and former Animal Welfare Board of India chairman Dr S.P. Gupta. Guests pet, massage and sit with the resident cows as part of the property's broader stress-management and de-addiction programmes. The idea, according to its founders, is that a cow's slower heartbeat and warmer body temperature have a steadying effect simply through proximity.