Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy

Psychologist Dr. Aubrey Fine is an internationally known expert with close to 50 years of experience in the field of Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) and the Human Animal Bond. Dr. Fine is a Professor Emeritus at the California State Polytechnic University for over 42 years, during which time he has researched the value of AAT with children and the elderly. In addition, he has integrated the foundations of AAT into his clinical practice, which primarily focuses on the treatment of children with attention, behavioral, adjustment and developmental disorders. Dr. Megan K. Mueller, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Human-Animal interaction at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University within the Center for Animals and Public Policy. Dr. Mueller is Co-Director of the Tufts Initiative for Human-Animal Interaction and is a senior fellow at the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University. Dr. Mueller is a developmental psychologist, and her research program focuses on assessing the dynamic relationships between people and animals in families and communities. Her work focuses on the psychology of the human-animal bond, and how human-animal interaction can promote thriving for adolescents and their families. Her research has been published in numerous scientific journals and media outlets. Dr. Mueller is a board member of the International Society for Anthrozoology and serves on the Pet Partners Human-Animal Bond Advisory Board. Dr. Zenithson Ng is a clinical associate professor at the University of Tennessee. He earned his undergraduate degree in animal science from Rutgers University and his veterinary degree from Cornell University; then completed a small animal rotating internship at the ASPCA in NYC, followed by a canine/feline primary care residency combined with a master’s degree in human-animal bond studies at Virginia Tech. His clinical interests include small animal behavior, dentistry, preventive medicine, and management of chronic disease. His research and teaching interests span all aspects of the human-animal bond including the effect of human-animal interaction on both humans and animals, the veterinary-client relationship, and stress reduction in both veterinary and animal-assisted intervention settings. Dr. Taylor Chastain Griffin?is the Executive Director of The Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals and is the National Director of Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI) Advancement at Pet Partners. In these roles, she oversees the organizations’ empirical research collaborations and works with other field leaders to motivate standardization and professionalization of the intervention. With a background as a dog trainer, therapy dog handler, and mental health counselor, Dr. Chastain Griffin came to her position with a variety of experiences that inform her work. Having completed her doctorate in research psychology with a focus on the human-animal bond, she works to formally integrate expertise in the field of human services with best practices while working with therapy animals. Philip Tedeschi is the Director Emeritus and Founder of the Institute for Human-Animal Connection, a licensed clinical social worker, a clinical professor at the Graduate School of Social Work and an affiliated faculty with the University of Denver’s Animal Law Program. He teaches in the Human- Animal-Environmental Interaction Certificate for Master of Social Work students, examining the intricate relationship between people, domestic and wild animals, and the natural world. Tedeschi’s research, scholarship, teaching, and community practice work have focused on issues of social and interspecies justice, global perspectives of human-animal interactions, conservation social work and human ecology. He specializes in the bio-affiliative connection between people and animals, the health promoting potential of human-animal and nature interaction, trauma informed care and causes of maltreatment to people and other non-human animals.

Section One: The Conceptualization of the Animal-Human Bond: The Foundation for Understanding AAI 1. Understanding our Kinship with Animals: Input for Health Care Professionals Interested in the Human-Animal Bond 2. AAI in Historical Perspectives 3. Conceptualizing AAIs: Honoring our past, understanding our present and building a new future for the field of AAI 4. Understanding the Influence of Culture, Race, Ethnicity, and Identity on Animal-Assisted Interventions 5. The Animal-Human Bond: Health and Wellness 6. The State of Research in AAI Section Two: Best Practices for AAI Professionals 7. Professional Competencies and Standards of Practice in AAI 8. Incorporating AAI into Psychotherapy: Guidelines and Suggestions for Therapists 9. Application of AAI in Professional Mental Health Settings: An overview of practice considerations 10. The Application of Animal Assisted Interventions in Various Allied Health Professions Section Three: Considerations Related to Animal Selection, Training, and Welfare 11. What’s love got to do with it? Selecting animals for AA mental health interventions 12. Getting the Right Dog for the Right Job for AAI. Essential Understanding of Dog Behavior and Ethology 13. The role of the Equine in AAI 14. Preparing a Canine for Therapy Dog Work through Training and Relationship-Building 15. Trends in animal welfare research in animal-assisted interventions 16. Our Ethical and Moral Responsibility: Strategies for Ensuring the Welfare of Therapy Animals: 17. Species Specific Welfare Considerations for animals involved in AAI 18. Zoonoses in animal-assisted interventions Section Four: AAI in Special Populations 19. Animals in the Lives of Children 20. Animals in Educational Settings: Research and Practice. 21. The role of Animals for Individuals with Executive Functioning Disorders 22. Companion Animals in Older Adulthood: Engaging and Sustaining the Bond 23. AAI in Special Settings: Hospitals, Colleges, & Correctional Facilities 24. Understanding the Role of Human-Animal Interaction in the Family Context 25. Treating human trauma and depression with the help of animals: Trauma-informed intervention for child maltreatment, adult post-traumatic stress, and depression 26. The Complete Journey: Navigating the Death, Dying & Grief of a Therapy Animal Partner 27. Animal-assisted interventions for military families: A synthesis of the current evidence 28 (Updated and with a few new snapshots) Global Snapshots of Therapy Animal Programs 29. Final Thoughts: The Editors’ Reflections on the State of AAI: The Unknown Future 30. A Personal Tribute to Animals in Our Lives and the Field of Animal Assisted Interventions: Oh the Places We Have Gone and Will Go!