Animal-Assisted Therapy

Course overview

Animals have been a part of our lives as long as we have been on the planet. The health benefits of the human-animal bond are far reaching. From guide dogs, to watching fish in an aquarium, to swimming with dolphins, animals provide us with companionship, assistance, exercise, a sense of calmness, sensory stimulation, and a level of acceptance that is often difficult to find from any other source. The outcome of this course is for the learner to describe the purpose of animal-assisted therapy, the theoretical background of the therapy, the benefits of this type of therapy for humans, several common types of animal-assisted therapy, and guidelines for developing an animal-assisted therapy program.