Working with Animals in Practice

By Eileen Bona M.Ed, R. Psych

“I am excited by the momentum AAT is gaining in Canada. I am contacted daily by Canadians who are exploring the intricacies of integrating animals into their practice.”

Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI) are based upon the belief that interactions with animals have inherent value for humans on behavioural, cognitive, emotional, physical, psychological, relational and spiritual levels. AAI are intended to be carried out by qualified professionals who are also trained animal handlers working with specially screened, trained and certified animals.

Although there is evidence to support the benefits of partnering with animals in aforementioned ways, and in performing Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) as a formal medium of therapeutic intervention, there is no standard code of practice in Canada in this regard.

As a psychologist who has been working in the field of Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) for nearly 17 years, I am excited by the momentum AAT is gaining in Canada. I am contacted daily by Canadians who are exploring the intricacies of integrating animals into their practice.

There are several important ethical considerations for including animals in practice, and they include the following:

• Understanding the many terms in the field to determine where your practice, skills and knowledge might fit. • Staying within your scope of practice. As many people are attracted to animals in practice, often practitioners are requested to work with those who may not fit into their scope. • Researching and attaining thorough training and certification as an animal assisted therapist. Certificates in AAI/T are available at the college level in some provinces in Canada (i.e., Alberta and Quebec) or training and arranging consultation with a credentialed, well known and ethical AAT professional.

Eileen Bona Registered Psychologist Animal Assisted Therapist CEO and Executive Director of Dreamcatcher Nature Assisted Therapy www.dreamcatcherassociation.com

17 psychologistsassociation.ab.ca • Ensuring your animal has been screened, tested and certified to work with you in your setting and with your population. Animals have preferences and ‘scopes of practice’ too and these should be discerned before the animal is integrated into practice. • Consultations and training with skillful and trustworthy animal trainers or animal behavioural specialists with AAT training are vital to you and your animal. This allows the animal to be prepared for its work and for you as the animal’s handler to be trained in understanding your animal’s communication and stress signals. • Garnering advices about working animals’ schedules, ratio of client / animal interactions are important to the health and well being of the animal and can be attained from these professionals or AAT professionals. • Having a regular veterinarian who is knowledgeable about AAT, understands your species / breed and can advise on changes your animal may be experiencing is invaluable for your AAT animal’s health and welfare. • It is often necessary to have extended insurance coverage (alongside professional liability) when involving animals in practice. Determining whether both the practitioner and the facility in which the AAT takes place require insurance for the AAT is necessary. • Providing a waiver to participants is recommended to ensure fully informed consent for participation in AAT. The waiver should provide details of the AAT and require the signature of the participant or guardians of minors.

It is an exciting time in our AAT field. The next steps are to develop approved Guidelines, a thorough Standards of Practice and a Code of Ethics to guide and govern our practices. A more detailed “Emergent Guidelines for Animals in Practice” can be found here. In the meantime, I hope this information is helpful.