Presentation at 3rd GRF One Health Summit 2015 Session Implementing Animal Based Therapies in the Health Care Setting: A Team Approach

1. For Pets Sake: Being the animal advocate
in animal-assisted interventions

2. Defining the terms
• Human-animal intervention (HAI) =
• Human-animal interaction (HAI) =
• Animal-assisted intervention (AAI)
AAT
AAA
HAI
AAI
Animal
Assisted
Activity
Animal
Assisted
Therapy

3. Defining the terms
• Animal Assisted Activity (AAA) –
meet and greet
• Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) –
goal directed intervention
• Service/Assistance animals –
animal that is individually trained to
do work or perform tasks for the
benefit of an individual with a
disability

6. Special consideration for
AAI animals
 “No other canine-related event, no sport nor
competition requires a dog to enter the
intimate zones of unfamiliar humans and
remain there for several minutes of petting
and hugging” (Butler, 2004)
 Immoral, exploitative (Zamir, 2006)
 Little self-control over their social lives
(Fejsakova 2009)
 Fatigue and “Burn-out” syndrome (Heim, 2000;
Iannuzi, 1991)
 Acquisition of infectious disease (Lefebvre 2009)

7. Threats to animal welfare

8. Lefebvre SL, Golab GC, Christensen EL, et al. Guidelines for
animal-assisted interventions in health care facilities. American
Journal of Infection Control 2008;36:78-85.

9. Screening
• Species
• Dogs
• Cats
• Rabbits
• Guinea pigs
• No: reptiles/amphibians, hamsters, gerbils, mice, rats,
hedgehogs
• At least 1 year of age
• No raw food diets

10. Selection: Physical health
• Rabies
• Monthly internal and external parasite
prevention
• Annual fecal
• Screening for MRSA, C difficile, group A
streptococci, vancomycin-resistant enterococci
NOT recommended

11. During visits: Preventing infectious
disease
• Clostridium difficile
(2.4x)
• MRSA
(4.7x)
Lefebvre SL, Reid-Smith RJ, Waltner-Toews D, et al. Incidence of acquisition of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
aureus, Clostridium difficile, and other health-care-associated pathogens by dogs that participate in animal-assisted
interventions. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2009;234:1404-1417

12. Risk Factors?

13. Recommendations
Hand
washing

14. During visits: Preventing Stress

15. Selection: Behavioral health
• Basic commands
• Reactions to strangers,
crowds, hugs, sudden
stimuli
• No sign of stress or
aggression
• Friendly, controllable,
predictable

16. Monitoring stress-associated behaviors

17. During the visit: Recognizing risk factors
• Crowding
• Duration
• Breaks

18. After the visit
• Provide positive reinforcement to the animal
• Document any issues that arise

19. Monitoring and collaboration
Handler Handler Handler Handler Handler
Facility
Monitor
HAI
Organization
Monitor Monitor
Facility
Monitor

20. Education for the handler
Animal Health Animal Behavior

21. Our obligations