Front Cover	1
	Handbook on Animal–Assisted Therapy: Theoretical Foundations and Guidelinesfor Practice	4
	Copyright	5
	About the Editor	6
	Contents	8
	Contributors	12
	Foreword	16
	Preface	20
	Dedication	24
	Part One -The Conceptualization of the Animal/Human Bond: The Foundation for Understanding Animal-Assisted Therapy	26
	Chapter 1 Understanding our kinship with animals: input for health care professionals interested in the human/animal bond	28
	1.1 Introduction	28
	1.2 Introduction to the human/animal bond (HAB)	29
	1.3 Defining the human/animal bond	30
	1.4 Pets and people: case studies reveal the importance	32
	1.5 Theories explaining the bond	33
	1.6 The biological benefits of the bond	35
	1.7 Final remarks	36
	References	37
	Chapter 2 Animal-assisted interventions innbsphistorical perspective	42
	2.1 Introduction	42
	2.2 Animal souls and spiritual healing	42
	2.3 Animal powers and shamanism	44
	2.4 Animism in classical and medieval times	45
	2.5 Animals as agents of socialization	49
	2.6 Animals and psychotherapy	51
	2.7 Animals, relaxation, and social support	52
	2.8 Conclusions	53
	References	54
	Chapter 3 Animal-assisted interventions in mental health: definitions and theoretical foundations	58
	3.1 Introduction	58
	3.2 Defining animal-assisted interventions	58
	3.3 Theoretical frameworks	62
	3.4 Summary and conclusions	68
	References	69
	Chapter 4 Newer and older perspectives onnbspthenbsptherapeutic effects of animals and nature	74
	References	79
	Chapter 5 Positive effects of animals for psychosocially vulnerable people: a turning point for delivery	84
	5.1 Introduction: factors affecting the human/animal relationship	84
	5.2 Goals of this chapter	88
	5.3 The potential of pets to enhance the quality of life	88
	5.4 Personalized normalizing of the environment for people with special needs	98
	5.5 For the health professions: leadership in implementing animals as treatment or social support	102
	References	104
	Chapter 6 The animal/human bond: health and wellness	110
	6.1 Introduction	110
	6.2 Stress-reducing health benefits from AAA	111
	6.3 Epidemiological evidence for health benefits	114
	6.4 Experimental or quasi-experimental research	117
	6.5 Comparison of effects of presence of and interaction with animals	121
	6.6 Exercise-related health benefits from AAA and AAT	122
	6.7 Discussion	124
	6.7 Conclusion	126
	References	127
	Part Two -Animal-Assisted Therapy: Conceptual Model and Guidelines for Quality Assurance	134
	Chapter 7 Animal selection procedures in animal-assisted interaction programs	136
	7.1 Introduction	136
	7.2 Description of terms	137
	7.3 Animal selection procedures	138
	7.4 Selection based on outcome vs settings	143
	7.5 Development of a job description for animal-assisted applications	147
	7.6 Capacity for work	148
	7.7 Handler recommendations	151
	7.8 Summary	156
	References	157
	Chapter 8 Designing and implementing animal-assisted therapy programs in health and mental health organizations	160
	8.1 Introduction	160
	8.2 Animal-assisted therapy	161
	8.3 The Green Chimneys model	161
	8.4 Organizational issues	163
	8.5 Program design issues	164
	8.6 Animal selection	165
	8.7 Cost effectiveness	166
	8.8 Liability	166
	8.9 Outcomes	167
	8.10 Infection control issues	167
	8.11 Rules that guide animal-assisted therapy programs	168
	8.12 Principles that guide animal-assisted therapy programs	169
	8.13 Conclusions	170
	References	171
	Chapter 9 Understanding the other end of the leash: what therapists need to understand about their co-therapists	174
	Part Three -Best Practices in Animal-Assisted Therapy: Guidelines for Use of AAT with Special Populations	192
	Chapter 10 Incorporating animal-assisted therapy into psychotherapy: guidelines and suggestions for therapists	194
	10.1 Introduction	194
	10.2 The need for research	195
	10.3 The role of animal-assisted therapy in psychotherapy: is there such a thing as an AAT Rx?	196
	10.4 Consideration 1-why clinicians may find animals therapeutically beneficial	197
	10.5 Consideration 2-the therapeutic environment: animals as an aspect of milieu therapy	202
	10.6 Consideration 3-incorporating theory into practice: animal-assisted therapy from a life stage perspective	204
	10.7 Practical suggestions for clinician’s applying animals	209
	10.8 Conclusions	212
	References	212
	Chapter 11 Application of animal-assisted interventions in counseling settings: an overview of alternatives	218
	An overview of AAI as an aspect of therapy	218
	11.1 Introduction	218
	11.2 Understanding the magnitude of AAI from an interdisciplinary perspective	220
	General AAI techniques for children and adults	223
	11.3 General therapeutic approaches for children and adults	227
	11.4 Application of AAI with children: selected approaches	231
	11.5 Application of AAI with adults	236
	11.6 Concluding remarks	242
	References	243
	Chapter 12 Animals in the lives of children	248
	12.1 Introduction	248
	12.2 Where are animals in children’s lives?	248
	12.3 What do animals mean in children’s lives?	250
	12.4 Best practices in AAT with children	265
	12.5 Guidelines for best practices of AAT with children and concluding remarks	266
	References	267
	Chapter 13 The use of therapy animals with individuals with autism spectrum disorders	272
	13.1 Introduction	272
	13.2 Animals and individuals with ASD	274
	13.3 Why people with autism relate with animals	275
	13.4 Sensory oversensitivity	276
	13.5 Factors that worsen sensory problems	276
	13.6 People with autism and sensory-based thinking	277
	13.7 Choosing animal-based interventions: suggestions for service animals and other forms of AAI	278
	13.8 Service animals	281
	13.9 Suggestions to consider before obtaining a service dog	282
	13.10 Benefits of horseback riding	283
	13.11 Animal welfare issues	285
	13.12 Horse welfare	286
	13.13 Conclusions	287
	References	287
	Chapter 14 Understanding the role of animals in the family: insights and strategies for clinicians	290
	14.1 Introduction	290
	14.2 Why it is important for clinicians to routinely assess the child’s animal-related experiences	291
	14.3 Clinical examples of interventions that address the animal-related experiences of children and adolescents in the larger context of therapy	296
	14.4 Conclusion	302
	References	303
	Appendix A	306
	Chapter 15 Human/animal interaction and successful aging	308
	15.1 Introduction	308
	15.2 Human companion/animal interactions and successful aging	308
	15.3 Facilitating relationships between pets and older adults	314
	15.4 Pet selection	317
	15.5 Guidelines for animal-assisted therapy with older adults	321
	References	322
	Chapter 16 Increasing the effectiveness of palliative care through integrative modalities: conceptualizing the roles of animal companions and animal-assisted interventions	326
	16.1 Introduction	326
	16.2 Extending palliative care through an integrative approach	327
	16.3 Meeting the challenges of research on healing in palliative care	332
	16.4 The role of pet companions and animal-assisted interventions in supporting persons with chronic and terminal illnesses	344
	16.5 Practical suggestions for AAI within palliative care and concluding remarks	348
	References	350
	Chapter 17 Human/animal support services: the evolution of the San Francisco model and pet-associated zoonoses education	354
	PAWS Keeps ``Families'' Together	354
	17.1 Introduction	355
	17.2 AIDS: an overview	358
	17.3 The psycho-social impact of illness: the AIDS virus	359
	17.4 The role of pets	360
	17.5 The historical significance of zoonoses and AIDS	363
	17.6 How PAWS developed to provide support for PWAs with pets	366
	17.7 Services provided by Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS)	368
	17.8 Examples of human/animal support service programs	373
	17.9 Getting started	374
	17.10 VET SOS: homeless people and pets	374
	17.11 Conclusion	378
	References	378
	Appendices	381
	Chapter 18 Animal abuse and developmental psychopathology: recent research, programmatic and therapeutic issues and challenges for the future	382
	18.1 Introduction	382
	18.2 The confluence of animal maltreatment and interpersonal violence	383
	18.3 Programmatic responses to the ``link'' between violence to people and animals	392
	18.4 Clinical implications	399
	18.5 Conclusion	419
	References	419
	Chapter 19 Animal-assisted activity as a social experience	426
	19.1 Introduction	426
	19.2 Method	428
	19.3 Findings	429
	19.4 Discussion	442
	Acknowledgments	442
	References	443
	Chapter 20 Assistance animals: their evolving role in psychiatric service applications	446
	20.1 Introduction	446
	20.2 Labels, definitions and controversy	447
	20.3 The history of assistance animals	448
	20.4 Therapeutic benefits of contact with animals: the possible psycho-social benefits of service animals	449
	20.5 Psychiatric service animals	450
	20.6 Emotional support animal (ESA)	453
	20.7 ADA guidelines for transportation and the Federal Air Carriers Act	454
	20.8 Psychiatric service animal selection and training	455
	20.9 Training models	456
	20.10 Animal welfare considerations: impact on animals when placed with individuals with mental health concerns	458
	20.11 Assessing for good fit with an animal	458
	20.12 Screening for clients	460
	20.13 Conclusions	461
	References	462
	Resources	463
	Part Four -Special Topics and Concerns in Animal-Assisted Therapy	464
	Chapter 21 Loss of a therapy animal: assessment and healing	466
	21.1 Introduction	466
	21.2 Scholarly research	467
	21.3 Understanding loss	468
	21.4 Loss of a special animal	468
	21.5 Manner of loss	470
	21.6 Differences between losing pet and therapy animal	473
	References	478
	Chapter 22 Animal-assisted interventions and humane education: opportunities for a more targeted focus	482
	22.1 Introduction	482
	22.2 The roots of humane education	483
	22.3 The role of animals in the lives of children	487
	22.4 AAIs with youth	488
	22.5 Making humane education more relevant	489
	22.6 Overcoming challenges to traditional humane education: ``new wine in an old bottle''	490
	22.7 Strategies for overcoming the challenges	491
	22.8 Animal-assisted humane education	493
	22.9 Conclusion	498
	References	500
	Chapter 23 Welfare considerations in therapy and assistance animals	506
	23.1 Introduction	506
	23.2 General welfare considerations	507
	23.3 Animals used in therapy	512
	23.4 Service/assistance animals	516
	23.5 End-user problems	521
	23.6 Conclusions and recommendations	522
	References	524
	Appendix 1	527
	Ethical guidelines for the care and supervision of animals while utilized in AAT or AAA	527
	Chapter 24 The role of the veterinary family practitioner in AAT and AAA programs	530
	24.1 The origin of veterinary family practice	530
	24.2 The role of veterinary family practitioners in AAT/AAA	533
	24.3 Selection of an appropriate veterinary family practitioner	540
	24.4 Conclusion	541
	References	542
	Chapter 25 Methodological standards and strategies for establishing the evidence base of animal-assisted therapies	544
	25.1 Introduction	544
	25.2 Context: current advances in psychotherapy outcomenbspresearch	545
	25.3 Conceptualizing the study and its focus	548
	25.4 Common methodological problems	554
	25.5 Possible next steps	564
	25.6 Conclusions	567
	References	569
	Chapter 26 The future of research, education and clinical practice in the animal/human bond and animal-assisted therapy	572
	A The role of ethology in the field of human/animal relations and animal-assisted therapy	572
	26.1 Introduction	572
	26.2 Unanswered research questions	576
	26.3 Setting standards	577
	B Human/animal interactions (HAIs) and health: the evidence and issues-past, present, and future	579
	26.4 Introduction	579
	26.5 The physical evidence	580
	26.6 Selected psychosocial evidence	582
	C The role of AAT in clinical practice: the importance of demonstrating empirically oriented psychotherapies	588
	26.7 Introduction	588
	26.8 Skill of the therapist	589
	26.9 What constitutes good therapy?	590
	26.10 How best to study AAT?	592
	26.11 Establishing levels of proof: the difference between epistemological and metaphysical evidence	593
	26.12 Gaining respectability for AAT	594
	26.13 Epilogue	595
	References	596
	Index	604