The animal assisted sector provides a range of services that is accessible by the community. Animal Therapies Ltd has constructed easy to follow guidelines to not only keep providers accountable but also to make sure that members of the community are accessing the services that best suit them. Please visit the Animal Therapies Ltd website for more information.
Animal assisted Therapy
is the umbrella term for services directed and/or delivered by a qualified allied health professional with education and specialized expertise within the scope of practice of his/her profession. AAT may be provided in a variety of settings, may be group or individual in nature and may be implemented for persons of any age. There are specific goals for each individual involved and the process is documented and evaluated. This includes animal-assisted occupational therapy, counselling, psychotherapy, psychology, speech therapy, social work and others.
Animal Assisted Learning
involves an animal and a facilitator in an ‘experiential’ learning environment to assist an individual or group develop skills, tools and strategies to achieve a predetermined goal. AAL practitioners are trained in their field of expertise to facilitate specific learning outcomes. Can include corporate coaching, leadership, team building, personal development and self management.
Animal Assisted Activities
consists of specialised programs and therapeutic animal visits by a trained handler / animal team to people in workplaces, hospitals, aged care facilities, schools, universities and other institutions to alleviate stress, boost morale, contribute to wellbeing, provide a distraction for pain management and to provide therapeutic relief. These visits are therapeutic in nature and handlers may be volunteers who do not hold any specific professional qualification. May include; courthouse dog programs, animal-assisted crisis intervention, animal-assisted mental health first aid, horsemanship services, therapeutic horse riding and others.
Assistance animals
The legal definition of an assistance animal as a dog or other animal that:
(a) is accredited under a State or Territory law to assist a person with a disability to alleviate the effects of disability; or
(b) is accredited by an animal training organisation prescribed in the regulations; or
(c) is trained to assist a person with a disability to alleviate the effect of the disability and meets standards of hygiene and behaviour that are appropriate for an animal in a public place.
Assistance animals have a legal right to access public places and are not to be patted or distracted as they are working animals. They support people in accessing various aspects of personal and public life. They can be trained in tasks to alert their handler of an oncoming medical episode or to assist with everyday tasks. An assistance animal must meet standards of hygiene and behaviour that are appropriate for an animal in a public place. Please do not ask the handler of an assistance animal about their condition.