Description: The Importance of Standards in animal-assisted interventions (AAI) can provide a variety of benefits to people, but without careful consideration of safety...
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Animal-assisted interventions (AAI) can provide a variety of benefits to people, but without careful consideration of safety standards, well-intentioned handlers, therapy animal organizations, and facilities could jeopardize access to therapy animals.
Pet Partners has compiled the expert guidance on this topic. Standards of Practice in Animal-Assisted Interventions , originally published in 1996, has recently been revised and re-released in hard copy and as an eBook with current best practices animals and handlers should meet, regardless of their organizational affiliation. A high level summary document is available here .
Committed to professionalizing volunteer-based therapy animal visitation, the Pet Partners Therapy Animal Program standards align not just with Standards of Practice in AAI, but also with recommendations by the Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), the American Journal of Infection Control, the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations (IAHAIO), and the American Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA). Read more about Pet Partners’ standards .