An extensive summary of research relevant to the animal-assisted services sector can be found on our downloadable documents page.
Additionally, our Researcher Directory profiles members who have or are currently undertaking research in the animal-assisted services sector or in human / animal interactions more broadly.
Date: 3rd October, 2024
An equine-assisted learning program, designed and operated by Aboriginal people for Aboriginal people in Western Australia's Kimberley region, is delivering some extraordinary results. Thanks to the healing power of horses and Nyangumarta researcher Professor Juli Coffin, who pioneered the Yawardani Jan-ga program, around 2500 Aboriginal youth are now on a better path.
Date: 2nd December, 2023
Introduction: Canine-assisted psychotherapy (CAP) is an emerging field that is largely unregulated and at times fragmented. Despite this, CAP shows promise as an innovative intervention for improving adolescent mental health. To ensure safe, ethical interventions incorporating dogs, providers need minimum standards to guide intervention development and subsequent research. Initially, standards should guide the preliminary steps required to prepare for and set up CAP services.
Date: 1st August, 2022
Although animals are being employed for a growing number of roles to support people, the terms used to describe those animals (e.g., “therapy animal” and “emotional support animal”) can be confusing. The same term may be used to describe different types of work, or the same role can be described with different terms. This paper presents the results of a collaboration between over 100 researchers, practitioners, and end users of animal-based supports from all over the world.
Date: 30th April, 2021
Date: 4th September, 2020
Summary: Acute stroke can have devastating emotional impacts on people and their close companions. Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) has been shown to improve stroke-affected patients' mood, enhancing quality of life. DOgSS is a Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) Stroke Unit pilot research study in South Australia to find out if dog-visits make a difference to the expressed mood of stroke patients and visiting carers, family and friends, and impact on Stroke Unit staff.
Date: 1st March, 2020
Canine-assisted occupational therapy for children on the autism spectrum has been proposed as a means of enhancing goal-directed interventions, yet there remain no clear guidelines of its safe & ethical practice. Introducing a therapy dog into occupational therapy practices with children on the autism spectrum was found to require a complex & multifaceted set of skills requiring additional training to support the safety & wellbeing of both client & therapy dog.
Date: 10th September, 2019
While policy models and advice on how to include pets in aged care have been developed the reality is that pet-friendly aged accommodation, particularly when higher levels of care are needed continues to be limited. Limitations include the time-poverty of staff and the reality that staff are employed and trained to care for people not animals – creating a counter concern on the part of animal advocates. There are some services that provide companion animal contact in aged care services (visiting
Date: 1st July, 2019
One of the few studies worldwide that have measured physiological impacts of horses at liberty on humans.
Date: 6th June, 2019
Online survey of parents & staff, conducted to assess the effect of an animal-assisted intervention (AAI) service at a UK children’s university teaching hospital. Volunteer handlers with five golden retriever dogs provided AAIs across all eight paediatric wards including day, medical, surgical, oncology & intensive care. Interventions ranged from ‘meet & greet’ to assisting nursing care, physiotherapy & occupational therapy, as well as providing distraction during blood taking & other tests.
Date: 30th December, 2018
An unanticipated finding during research on the role that pets play in the health of older adults, was that pets had protected some from suicide. Given that older people are more vulnerable to fatal first attempts, understanding protective factors in this population group is vital. Pets emerged as protective for some older people in our research however caution needs to be exercised in treating this finding as an un-nuanced protection for older Australians.
An extensive summary of research relevant to the animal-assisted services sector can be found on our downloadable documents page.
Additionally, our Researcher Directory profiles members who have or are currently undertaking research in the animal-assisted services sector or in human / animal interactions more broadly.
