This is, to some extent, a continuation of yesterday's post on the magic of love. 
In one study with sending plants thoughts of love, instead of being in the same room with the plants, the participants in the experiment just had a photo of the plant to look at.  Once or twice a day, they would look at the photograph and send loving thoughts to the plant in it while they were anywhere from a few hundred feet to several miles away.  Nonetheless, the plant sent these thoughts remotely grew bigger and stronger than another plant in the same room that was not sent such thoughts.  The group than did another experiment with two leaves pulled from a tree.  Again, loving, positive thoughts were send to one leaf remotely while looking at a photo of the leave.  After several days, the leaves were looked at and the one sent the love was still green while the other had dried up and was turning brown.
    I don't know of any similar experiment being done with people, though I'd guess there have been some.  In any case, the concept should work the same way for people or animals.  If you have a sick friend or relative living too far away for you to visit frequently, you can just look at a picture of them and send them thought of love and healing.  If you leave your pets at a kennel while you go on a trip, take a photo of them along and send them your love occasionally.  
    You actually don't need a photograph to do this, but most people find it easier to visualize the person or pet by using one.  Just remember to think when you are looking at the photo, that you are sending those positive thought to the actual person or pet, not to the photo.