Keeping animals and people safe during animal assisted interventions

As I indicated in my last blog, this time I will focus on the importance of careful planning when considering Animal Assisted Interventions. Before designing any  such interventions it is crucial to consider the needs of the clients, the animals, and the role of the practitioner in facilitating the sessions. Following a consistent approach will help to ensure the best possible outcomes for all.

In the UK, there is no specific legislation aimed at those using animals in a therapeutic way as part of an intervention.  There are general animal welfare laws such as the 2006 Animal Welfare Act Section 9 which describes how those persons responsible for animals have a duty to ensure their welfare.  Some countries such as Austria have gone further and developed quality standards for all professionals using Animal Assisted Interventions. The Austrian 'Five Pillars' takes into account: animal welfare, animal training, animal health and the health and safety measures the provider has put in place and the qualifications that the provider holds. 

The Austrian Council for Agriculture and Rural Development requires farmers who run care farms to have an understanding of supporting vulnerable individuals with health and education. It also ensures that professionals such as teachers and social workers take a qualification to support their knowledge and understanding of how to work with animals within their practice. This qualification would include units on animal husbandry, animal housing, animal training, health and safety, legal requirements and the day to day operations and business management.

If you are working with animals in the UK, the law says that we need to give significant consideration to the wellbeing and welfare of those animals and take reasonable steps in all circumstances to meet those needs. 

This is shown through application of the RSPCA Five Freedoms, freedom from hunger or thirst, freedom from discomfort, freedom from pain, injury or disease, freedom to express normal behaviour and freedom from fear and distress. Of course, these guidelines are intended to be followed by anyone involved in keeping animals, including household pets, but organisations or individuals involved in using animals in their professional interventions must develop and implement appropriate policies to meet those needs. Involving animals in any intervention is perhaps not as easy in practice as it may seem in principle.  For example, they must ensure that sessions are well staffed because they need to ensure they have sufficient practitioners available to provide the appropriate duty of care to the animal/s as well as the client/s.  I am also aware that there have been cases where a client has seemed to bond particularly well with a specific animal during sessions and has been allowed to take the animal home with them.  One must not be tempted to allow this to happen because the practitioner remains responsible for the animal's welfare and where harm or neglect, accidental or deliberate, befalls the animal. 

Interventions can be designed for adults and children but it is important to create programmes that are age appropriate and to select the animals that would be suitable for each session. Not everyone feels comfortable around animals in general or with specific types of animals, and some clients may not want to work with them. It is important to respect an individuals view's and allow them to opt out if they wish, even if the sessions are already ongoing and they subsequently change their minds.  When dealing with children, it is also important to consult parents or carers regarding their child and to gain their permission to use animal intervention as part of the child's plan.

Before any client embarks on a programme they must be taught to respect the animals and before any session commences an assessment is made by the practitioner of the emotional state of the client.  They must continue to monitor the situation throughout the session and bring it to a close if it appears that distress is being caused to the animal. Clear goals must be set out for each individual session and clients given age appropriate instructions on how to work with and look after the animals during the session.

Practitioners must keep in mind that not everyone can read animal behaviours, for example a dog growling and showing his teeth may be seen by some individuals as the dog smiling or laughing whereas others perhaps most others will be aware that these are signs is to keep away and to give the dog space.  In such a situation where one didn't understand that the dog was not in fact smiling and was instead giving off warnings, it could prove quite a shock to receive a nip!  So practitioners must offer constant supervision to help avoid distressing situations developing, for both humans and animals.

If you are interested in finding out more about one of the worlds most well known and respected organisations that offers Animal Assisted Interventions you may want to visit the website of Green Chimneys Children Centre in New York USA.

In my next blog I will consider the benefits of such interventions to adults, children and families.