Animal Welfare for therapy animals in educational settings

The use of service dogs for school aged children is on the rise. Using therapy animal teams within schools is also increasing. As Human-Animal Assisted Interventions become more prevalent, so is the need to ensure the welfare of the animals being used in these therapy programs.

The American Veterinary Medical Association provides a simplified definition of animal welfare as the overall mental and physical health; protecting an animal’s welfare means providing for its mental and physical needs.

How is the welfare of the working animals in your school being protected?
How is your school providing for the mental and physical needs of the service dogs or therapy animal teams assisting the children attending your institution?
Do you have a current animal well-being guideline that ensures the welfare of the animals in your school or school system?
Do you a have a standard animal well-being guideline in place that also ensures the continued strengthening of the human animal bond?
Do you have an emergency plan of action to support the animal’s immediate medical needs in case of an emergency?

If you cannot provide immediate answers to these questions, your school can greatly benefit from a strategic partnership with experienced veterinarians. Assistance Animals Consulting has developed a Point Strategy that was specifically created to protect the animals working in your institution, ensure they are being treated humanely and enhance the power of the human animal bond.

Contact Assistance Animal Consulting to find out how your educational institution will benefit from a strategic partnership with experienced veterinarians.

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How Service Dogs Support Patients with Disabilities

By Dr. Rhesa Houston • 25 May, 2021

In 1990 the United States of America first recognized the value and importance of service animals to the citizens who lived with a variety of disabilities with the passing of the American with Disabilities Act. Prior to the ADA’s passing the only legally recognized service animal in the US were guide dogs.