Pets can be the trusted companions of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWA) as the animals would neither know nor disclose their masters' condition, according to two Seychelles Society for the Protection and Care of Animals (SSPCA) officials.

Mr Frank and Mrs Alexa Collie said this after attending the meeting for non-governmental organisations (NGO) called last Thursday to form a network to help coordinate the fight already mounted to prevent and control the spreads of AIDS.

Mr Collie told Nation it had been proven that animals, especially cats and dogs, remained committed "friends" even after they were mistreated, and although they did not understand the problems of human beings, they offered constant companionship.

"The health of many people has been seen to improve just from close association with animals," he said, giving the example of people whose blood pressure dropped when they stroked cats.

Saying that the animals obviously never divulged the secrets of humans, he said that people found "a walk on the beach with a pet" to be therapeutic.

He said he had invited a few PLWA to his home to discover the experience of close association with pets, saying that bonds formed with animals were strong and lasted, regardless of circumstances.

The public relations officer of the National Council for Children, Mr Jean-Claude Matombe, who was at the meeting, said that the total of eight participants who attended it agreed that rather than give preference to registration of a new association, each of them needed to work on a plan of action suggesting what the body would do.

He said that the participants would present their proposals to the next seating of the proposed organisation on January 30.

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