Protecting Animal Welfare in Animal-Assisted Intervention: Our Ethical Obligation

Abstract

When incorporating therapy animals into clinical practice, there are essential ethical considerations that must be considered to protect the welfare of both the people and the animals who are involved in the intervention. The field of animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) and more specifically animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is just beginning to appreciate the critical role that animal welfare has in enhancing the quality of the entire process of working with a therapy animal. In this article, the authors will present ethical models that are incumbent for practitioners to consider prior to partnering with a therapy animal. Examples of how a speech-language pathologist (SLP) might work with a therapy animal will be integrated throughout the article to demonstrate applied awareness of how good welfare not only protects the animal but also the clients who engage in the intervention. Key aspects to consider at all stages of AAT will be described, including considerations of welfare as they relate to selecting and working with a therapy animal, preparing clients for AAT, and developing specific competencies as an AAT practitioner. Theoretical support for these recommendations will also be outlined, preparing AAT providers to not only incorporate the highest standards in AAT but to also serve as an advocate in championing these standards as the field develops.

Reducing Anxiety and Stress among Youth in a CBT-Based Equine-Assisted Adaptive Riding Program

“…Because there is increasing attention to the bi-directionality of protections for human subjects as well as animal participants in research, particularly in studies of animal-assisted interactions, a secondary goal of the research was to examine whether horses experienced an increase in stress due to their participation in the study [ 29 , 30 ]. This is in ethical obligation in alignment with the call for equine welfare assurances in research and practice [ 37 , 38 , 39 ].…”

All Creatures Great and Small: A Review and Typology of Employee-Animal Interactions

“…However, research has also focused on the various ways in which organizations compromise the well-being of animal collaborators. Dogs who work in animal-assisted therapy work long hours and are exposed to potentially overwhelming situations, which can result in elevated stress and fatigue (Fine & Griffin, 2022; King, Watters, & Mungre, 2011; Sarrafchi, David-Steel, Pearce, de Zwaan, & Merkies, 2022). Law enforcement dogs responsible for the apprehension of suspects face the threat of being stabbed and killed (Schiavone, 2019).…”

Management of Donkeys in Assisted Interventions: A Snapshot

“…This should also apply to AAIs: if an animal represents a means to improve users’ quality of life, it should enjoy ideal conditions to lead a good existence in relation to the fulfillment of its needs. As suggested by Fine and Griffin, animal welfare should be understood not only as a means of protecting the animal, but also as crucial to the successful delivery of patient care services [ 19 ]. Moreover, one of the most ambitious theoretical goals of Assisted Interventions is to embody the concept of One Welfare, the idea of a deep interconnection between human well-being, animal welfare, and the environment [ 20 , 21 ].…”