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Animal-assisted Therapy and Activities |  |
| The field called animal-assisted therapy originated when the lay public began to take animals into nursing homes and other facilities to share them with residents. This practice has become more formalized. Unless medically supervised, these programs are now termed “animal-assisted activities,” whereas those directed as part of medical treatment are termed “animal-assisted therapy.” Procedures for screening animals and providing training for the people involved are offered and have
been standardized by the Delta Society. However, these are neither legislatively required as part of a certification process, nor is there a conventional educational process for individuals wanting to work in this area. Some individuals within human health professions, such as clinical psychology, social work, occupational therapy, physical therapy, or nursing, have incorporated animal-assisted activities and therapy into their professional practice. Animal-assisted activities and
therapy can be observed in some mental health settings where they are a part of treatment. |
| A much larger number of people continue to volunteer to bring their animals into facilities, often with some screening process and training organized by local groups. Such groups often benefit from veterinary assistance and leadership in developing appropriate screening methods for selection and preparation of both animals and people participating in these programs. |
| If periodic exposure to an animal via animal-assisted activities or animal-assisted therapy is healthful for someone with special needs, constant exposure may offer even greater benefits. Service dogs provide an example of a full-time animal therapist for the person. An emerging role of service dogs is as psychiatric service dogs, assisting persons with mental illness such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, agoraphobia, or anxiety. Like all service dogs, these dogs are trained to
perform specific tasks, such as employing tactile stimulation to facilitate recovery from episodes and creating a safe personal space for the owner. It has also been suggested that the relationship between the dog and owner is intrinsically therapeutic. |
