Recent research has demonstrated that spending just three minutes with miniature horses or donkeys can significantly improve the mood of teenagers. Conducted by UC Davis, the study highlights the positive emotional effects of brief animal-assisted interactions. Several teens reported feeling calmer and more relaxed after their short encounters with these gentle animals. The findings suggest that animal-assisted programs may be more effective when animals are given more agency in their interactions, reinforcing the importance of mutual wellbeing in such interventions.