Caring for Animals and Our Mental Health?

Many people in the UK have always been keen on companion animals ('pets') in spite of their costs (in terms of feeding, cleaning and veterinary fees). It is also well known that having such animal associates can give their owners exercise, social contacts and even facilitate their recovery from hospital operations. Yoni Yehuda is going further in advocating 'animal therapy' for mental health problems (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jul/21/cats-camels-and-a-jesus-lizard-the-rise-of-animal-assisted-therapy). He suggests that caring for exotic ranges of animals can be beneficial for patients with depression, schizophrenia and even addictions (although this last category, is a very mixed bag). If the Covid-19 pandemic, with its associated lockdowns and social isolation, results in the predicted damage to mental health, might we expect to see animals on doctor's prescriptions?