97 Lowell Road
Third Floor
Concord, MA 01742
phone: (888) 762-6433
email
PETS AND THERAPY
Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA) and Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT)
About Killarney McNiff, registered therapy dog: Christine McNiff, LMHC, NCC, and her Labrador Retriever, Killarney, shown here, are registered Delta Society Pet Partners® and registered R.E.A.D.® (Reading Education Assistance Dog) teams providing animal-assisted activities and animal-assisted therapy to hospitals, nursing homes, group homes and other facilities. Killarney and her handler, Christine, have completed a rigorous training program through the Delta Society to provide these services.
What's the Difference Between Animal Assisted Activities and Animal Assisted Therapy?
Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) "provides opportunities for motivational, educational, recreational, and/or therapeutic benefits to enhance quality of life. AAA are delivered in a variety of environments by specially trained professionals, para-professionals, and/or volunteers, in association with animals that meet specific criteria. Animal-assisted activities are basically the 'meet-and- greet' activities that involve pets visiting people."1
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. Animal-assisted therapy is directed and/or delivered by a health/human service professional with specialized expertise, and within the scope of practice of his/her profession. AAT is designed to promote improvement in human physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning. AAT is provided in a variety of settings and may be group or individual in nature."1 There is a specific end in mind, such as improvement in social skills, range of motion, verbal skills, attention span, etc. The key features of AAT are:
There are specified goals and objectives for each individual
About Killarney McNiff, registered therapy dog: Christine McNiff, LMHC, NCC, and her Labrador Retriever, Killarney, shown here, are registered Delta Society Pet Partners® and registered R.E.A.D.® (Reading Education Assistance Dog) teams providing animal-assisted activities and animal-assisted therapy to hospitals, nursing homes, group homes and other facilities. Killarney and her handler, Christine, have completed a rigorous training program through the Delta Society to provide these services.
