Encyclopedia of animal rights and animal 102

Animal-Assisted Therapy | 59 prepared to visit institutions and other settings An advantage of this system is that the person offered the visitation is spared the responsibility of oversight and care of the animal Someone who is institutionalized, in hospice, or in medical recovery often is not prepared to assume responsibility for an animal’s care, but can still benefit from occasional visits with an animal When the person is vigorous and healthy enough to oversee and provide most of the fulltime care for the animal, it may be more beneficial for the same person to be the handler and also receive the benefits Assistance dogs provide a fulltime therapeutic relationship Dogs may be specially bred and extensively trained over a couple of years, as with guide and service dogs, or the training may be conducted over a shorter period of time, as with hearing and seizure dogs Psychiatric service dogs are a new development, where the handler arranges for the training, usually with a companion animal that is already on hand The handler may have a physical or mental disability and still assume the major responsibility for the dog’s care Dogs placed with people in wheelchairs have been termed service dogs, and are prepared similarly to guide dogs, with special breeding, puppy raisers, and extensive training As the applications of assistance dogs have broadened, the designation of service, guide, and hearing dogs has often converged with the term assistance dogs; however, the nomenclature is not entirely consistent Legislative protection permits an assistance animal for people with a disability that interferes with their ability to perform the activities of daily living Regulatory language allowing public access may use the term service or assistance animal, and the terminology has become less specific and more overlapping The lack of any system for governmental or regulatory certification, paired with the personalized training of dogs to address specific needs of the person, results in a continuing expansion of the special roles of dogs The Welfare of the Animal Most animal-assisted interventions employ dogs or horses Both of these species benefit when handlers are knowledgeable about their basic needs and veterinary guidance is available Dogs readily take to partnership with their human companions Most breeds of dogs used are those that were specifically shaped to assist humans in particular tasks When a breed that is well-suited for the expected tasks is selected, a dog given suitable experiences and training has a high probability of becoming a successful partner Virtually all dogs welcome the handler, enjoy walks, and are expressive, loyal, and attentive—all traits that are highly valued by people who spend time with dogs The subtle attentiveness of dogs to humans is now well documented, showing that dogs respond to the gaze, pointing, or yawning of a human Thus, a natural compatibility arises between the dog that likes working as a partner and the handler who feels appreciated and loved by the dog Horses offer inspiring partnerships that can be highly motivating as an intervention The safety concerns and the challenges of managing such a large animals require that a number of people be involved in providing equine-assisted therapy The welfare of horses has been well studied, and information is available on methods of training, husbandry and transport