Animals, especially pets, are loyal, love seemingly unconditionally, and their closeness can even alleviate loneliness and depressive symptoms. What happens when your animal roommate becomes a human's partner? _____________________________________________ 🔔 Subscribe to SRF documentaries & reports on YouTube now https://www.youtube.com/srfdok?sub_co... 👉 Would you like to suggest a topic to us? Then write to us at: [email protected] _____________________________________________ 26-year-old Shelly fell head over heels in love with Lalou, a horse, and built an intense relationship with him. Thanks to the animal, she overcame her eating disorder and gained self-esteem, she tells rec. reporter Rahel Lenz. This is no ordinary situation for her new husband, as Shelly and Lalou only come as a pair. Naomi's animals also give her support and a meaning in life. Once addicted to heroin and alcohol, the 27-year-old is now clean thanks to her animals. She shares her apartment with dogs and cats, quails and guinea pigs, toads and geckos and a few other species - 45 animals in total. The responsibility she has for her animals gives her structure and helps her to cope with everyday life. 00:00 Intro 00:52 Visit to Shelly and Lalou 03:20 Shelly immediately fell in love with Lalou 05:16 Do animals help people find themselves again? 05:57 Visit to Naomi and her 45 animals 07:17 Without animal care, Naomi would have little meaning in life - and could fall back into addiction 10:12 Naomi is closer to animals than to people 11:51 Naomi also looks after crested geckos, frogs and cats 13:50 Animals can support people emotionally and psychologically 14:10 Lalou helped Shelly a lot during her eating disorder 16:50 Thanks to Lalou, Shelly has learned to love herself more 17:30 Naomi has always had difficulties in her relationships with other people 19:17 How do animals fit into people's relationships? 21:20 Conclusion 22:06 Outro _____________________________________________ ▪ A film by Rahel Lenz ▪ Senior Producer: Vanessa Nikisch, Ilona Stämpfli ▪ Director: Anita Richner _____________________________________________ This is «rec.»: «rec.» stands for "record". Our reporters report on topics that move people and stimulate discussion. They look for answers to questions that concern them and the community. They take their cameras to where life is happening and show the world and its people as they are: real and unfiltered. NEW DOCUMENTARIES AND REPORTS EVERY WEEK _____________________________________________ 👇 You can find out more about documentaries & reports here: 🎧 More stories to listen to: https://www.srf.ch/audio/themen/mensc... 👀 More documentaries on Play SRF: https://www.srf.ch/play/tv/themen/dok... _____________________________________________ Channel info: The SRF Dokus & Reportagen teams report factually, avoid "scripted reality" and are committed to journalistic integrity. The editorial team's credo: We show life in all its shades. _____________________________________________ Social Media Netiquette from SRF: ► https://www.srf.ch/social-netiquette #SRFDok #Reportage #TiereVSMenschen #Rec. #SRF