Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy

Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy provides a comprehensive overview of the many ways in which animals can be used to assist therapists. Coverage includes how animals can assist specific patient populations (children, the disabled, AIDS patients, etc.), how animals can aid in specific settings (hospitals, prisons, independent practice, etc.), and how professionals can best select appropriate animals (species, breed, and individual temperament) and design an AAT program. Humans have long had a special bond with animals, initially as work animals, then as pets, and now more frequently as therapeutic companions. Animals help the sick recover more quickly and help the aged live longer and more satisfying lives. Specially trained animals are now helping stroke victims, the handicapped, and others to regain or build lost faculties. Increasingly, animals assist in nonphysical/medical therapies, helping the stressed and angry relax and the shy be more forthcoming. Contributors represent the top people in the field from hospital settings, vet hospitals, animal training centers, and therapists in practice.