Definitions

Since the early 1990s, the Delta Society has promoted the use of two terms to help standardize the language around animal-assisted practices.

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) "is a goal-directed intervention in which an animal that meets specific criteria is an integral part of the treatment process. AAT is directed and/or delivered by a health/human service professional with specialized expertise and within the scope of practice of his/her profession [such as psychology, counselling, psychotherapy, social work, education, nursing, physiotherapy, speech-language pathology, etc.]. Key features include specified goals and objectives for each individual and measured progress" (Delta Society, n.d., as cited in Kruger & Serpell, 2006, p. 23).

• Note: The term "pet therapy" is to be avoided, as it is an outdated and misleading term that once referred to animal behaviour training programs.
• AAT is practiced by partnering with multiple species. Dogs and horses appear to be the most common, followed by cats, farm animals, small pets (rabbits, ferrets, chinchillas, birds, reptiles, etc.), even wild animals in some cases. See Terminology for the names of various kinds of AAT practices.
• On this site, the term Equine-Assisted Therapy/Learning (EAT/L) encompasses the practices of AAT with horses in the helping professions.
• Hippotherapy is a specific form of AAT led by credentialed therapists in a scope of practice such as physiotherapy, speech pathology and occupational therapy, in partnership with a horse handler.

 

Animal-assisted activities (AAA) "provide opportunities for motivational, educational, recreational, and/or therapeutic benefits to enhance quality of life. AAAs are delivered in a variety of environments by specially-trained professionals, paraprofessionals, and/or volunteers in association with animals that meet specific criteria. Key features include absence of specific treatment goals; volunteers and treatment providers are not required to take detailed notes; visit content is spontaneous" (Delta Society, n.d., as cited in Kruger & Serpell, 2006, p. 23).

• AAA can also be practiced with various species of animal.
• Therapeutic riding is a form of AAA led by a theraputic riding instructor.

For an additional comparison of Equine-Assisted Therapy/Learning, Hippotherapy and Therapeutic Riding, please click here.

The Society for Companion Animal Studies defines a third practice that falls at the crossroads of AAA and AAT: Animal-Assisted Education (AAE).

Animal-Assisted Education (AAE) is "a specialized application of AAA or AAT directed at students and classroom interactions", but could also be considered to include any kind of skills-based learning activity that includes animals as teaching partners, whether or not it occurs in a traditional classroom setting.

• Examples of AAE include (but are not limited to): Reading assistance animals; dog-bite prevention programs; humane education programs; and companionable zoos (similar to therapeutic farms).
• Certain practices involving horses fall between AAT and AAE, such as Equine-Assisted Learning. Many "experiential learning" programs with horses as led by a facilitator without a background in a helping profession resemble similar programs with horses in counselling and psychotherapy.

 

Therapeutic Farms / Therapy Farms: The broad term of therapeutic farms encompasses a variety of locations and practices, which all have in common the provision of therapeutic programs for humans in a natural setting. Services and programs that may be offered at therapeutic farms range from:

• Residential treatment, day programs and/or camps
• Horticultural therapy
• Animal-assisted interventions (AAT, AAA, AAE, multi-species)
• Equine-assisted interventions
• Therapeutic riding
• Farming and sale of organic produce
• Traditional counselling and psychotherapy
• Vocational training
• Rehabilitation
• Outdoor activities and adventure programming
• Yoga, meditation and other mind-body practices
• Etc.

 

Reference

Kruger, K.A. & Serpell, J.A. (2006).  Animal-assisted interventions in mental health: Definitions and theoretical foundations.  In A.H. Fine (Ed.). Handbook on animal-assisted therapy: Theoretical foundations and guidelines for practice (2nd ed.), (pp. 21-38). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.