STANDARDS OF PRACTICE IN ANIMAL-ASSISTED

SUMMARY OF STANDARDS OF PRACTICE IN AAI

The Standards of Practice in Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI) includes five sections addressing standards for handlers, therapy animals, assessment, animal welfare and risk management. Additionally, there are two sections with recommendations for facilities seeking to incorporate therapy animals and for researchers pursuing AAI topics.  

The following highlights the key topics addressed in the Standards of Practice in AAI.

Download an executive summary. These standards are evidence based. View a full research bibliography.

STANDARDS FOR HANDLERS

Although the importance of an appropriate animal for AAI is indisputable, the role of the handler cannot be understated. It is the handler who must possess the knowledge, skills and aptitude to ensure effective and safe interactions.

• Topics covered in this section include the following:

• Responsible pet ownership.
• Handler knowledge of their animal, including baseline health indicators for their pet; ability to identify, understand, and respond to changes in animal body language; and ability to predict or anticipate the animal’s reaction to different situations.
• AAI-specific training, including handler responsibilities; best practices for handling; best practices in working with clients; professional conduct; zoonosis and infection prevention; and handler self-care.
• Access to continuing education.
• Maintaining recognized handling credentials.

There is considerable empirical support to suggest the idea that all therapy animal handlers should adhere to certain standards of practice that protect all involved in AAI:

It is protective for handlers to be aware of safety policies specific to the populations that they visit with (Linder et al., 2017; Jegatheesan et al., 2018).  

• Handlers should be educated so that they realize the impact that certain policies and procedures have on zoonosis and infection prevention (Murthy et al., 2015; Serpell, et al., 2020). 
• In order for AAI to be ethical, handlers must have training respective of the intervention they will be providing. (Kerulo et al., 2020; Stewart, 2014). 
• Handlers involved in crisis-response with their therapy animal partners should have specific training to prepare them for this kind of work (Greenbaum, 2006; Stewart et al., 2016).

STANDARDS FOR THERAPY ANIMALS

Although dogs are the most common therapy animal, the potential exists for a variety of animals to provide therapeutic benefits through AAI. This section applies broadly across species and represents minimum standards. Additional standards might be necessary for specific client populations, interventions or facilities.

• Topics covered include the following:

• Appropriate species for therapy animals.
• Core obedience skills.
• Suitable temperament, including an affiliative nature; well-socialized; enjoying a variety of client interactions; and adaptability in changing environments.
• Handler-animal bond.
• Grooming, house training and maturity requirements for animals.

Empirical support of the standards that determine which animals are appropriate for inclusion in AAI ensure the wellbeing of therapy animals as well as significantly minimizing risk of an incident occurring:

• Animals should be thoughtfully selected and paired with a population given their unique abilities, characteristics, and preferences (Fredrickson-MacNamara et al., 2006; Linder at al., 2017; Winkle et al., 2020). 
• Considerations related to the therapy animal, such as level of training, health/vaccine status, and grooming help to prevent chance of spreading infection and/or zoonosis (Hardin et al., 2016; Serpell et al., 2020).
• A therapy animal handler should have a highly developed relationship with their therapy animal (Stewart et al., 2013). 
• Therapy animals should be adult, ideally socially mature (Murthy et al., 2015).

STANDARDS FOR ASSESSMENT

Therapy animal teams should be thoroughly and regularly assessed to ensure the safety and well-being of all involved.

• Topics in this section include the following:

• Knowledge assessment for the handler.
• Practical assessment, for the handler and the therapy animal.
• Timeline for recurring assessments.
• Qualifications of the evaluator and the evaluation location.

Researchers and practitioners agree that therapy animal teams should regularly demonstrate knowledge, skills, and competencies indicative of their ability to remain active in animal-assisted interventions through participation in formal, re-occurring evaluations (Murthy et al., 2015; Kerulo et al., Jegatheesan et al., 2018; 2020; Pendry, 2020; Serpell et al., 2020). 

STANDARDS FOR ANIMAL WELFARE

Consideration of animal welfare isn’t simply a philosophical approach to AAI. Animal welfare also directly impacts client safety. When we take steps to ensure a humane environment, in combination with appropriate standards for the handler and animal, we reduce the risk of incidents that could negatively impact the health and well-being of clients as well as the animal.

• Topics covered in this section include the following:

• Active consent and comfort considerations for participating animals.
• Core welfare considerations including time limitations, routine veterinary care, and supervision.
• Positive training and non-coercive equipment.
• When an animal should be removed.

Research supports these animal welfare best practices in the field of animal-related interactions. Measures that handlers put into place to protect therapy animals and encourage a sense of thriving in their work benefit all involved:

• Handlers should be trained to recognize signs of their therapy animal needing to be removed from session, either temporarily or for the purposes of retirement (Murthy et al., 2015; Ng & Fine, 2019; Brelsford et al., 2020)
• Therapy animals are protected by time limits on their sessions that prevent them from being overworked (Murthy et al., 2015; Jegatheesan et al., 2018; Serpell et al., 2020).
• We should have a developed bond with the therapy animals with whom we partner so that we are best prepared to advocate for their welfare and well-being in animal-assisted interventions (Stewart, 2013; Ng, 2019).
• Positive training methodologies not only protect the relationship that a handler shares with their animal, but they have also been found to be more effective than aversive methods of behavior modification (Makowska, 2018; China et al., 2020).
• Therapy animals should not simply tolerate but should enjoy their role in animal-assisted interventions (Clark et al., 2020).
• Visits should be limited to one animal per handler (Murthy et al., 2015).

STANDARDS FOR RISK MANAGEMENT

A primary concern cited by detractors of AAI is the potential risk. A thorough approach to risk management is a critical component to the field and must not be overlooked.

• This section addresses the following topics:

• Management of incidents.
• Vaccination requirements.
• Raw meat diets.
• Infection prevention topics such as hand hygiene and barrier use as well as handler and animal health requirements.
• Insurance requirements.

All therapy animal programming should reflect the field’s standards of practice related to preventative measures such as animal health/vaccination, the disallowance of raw diets, and considerations of handler health and hygiene practices (Murthy et al., 2015; Brelsford et al., 2020; Serpell et al., 2020).