A Collaborative Project for Animal-Assisted Services: Animals for people
The "Animals for People" project is a unique international effort to advance Animal-Assisted Services (AAS) for cats and farm animals. It is co-funded by the Erasmus Plus Program of the European Union and involves a consortium of expert partners: Stowarzyszenie Zwierzęta Ludziom (SZL) from Poland, the Norwegian Centre of Anthrozoology (NCofA), the Institute for Applied Ethology and Animal Psychology (I.E.T) from Switzerland, and the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca (USAMV) in Romania.
The aim was to create effective tools and training programs, enhance AAS standards, prioritize animal welfare, and benefit participants in therapeutic and educational settings.
Innovative Project Outcomes: Tests and Training Courses
The collaboration produced four main outcomes to enhance animal-assisted interventions:
1. Publication ‘Animal Involvement Recommendations for involving cats and farm animals in Animal Assisted Services.’
The project produced a comprehensive publication, designed to serve as a practical guide for individuals and organizations interested in Animal-Assisted Services (AAS) with cats and farm animals. This publication outlines the project's methodology, welfare standards, and training recommendations, informed by expert contributions from consortium partners across Europe. It covers essential information such as animal welfare laws, behavioral assessments, and best practices for successful interventions.
2. Feline Temperament Assessment Tool (FeTAT)
The project introduced the Feline Temperament Assessment Tool (FeTAT) to ensure cats in AAS have the right temperament. This tool combines a detailed questionnaire with a practical test, evaluating a cat's sociability, adaptability, and suitability for therapeutic environments. Cat guardians complete the questionnaire, while experts observe the cat's behavior. This assessment helps match the right cats to support roles, minimizing stress and ensuring a positive experience for the animals and AAS program participants.
3. Blended Learning Course on Cats in Support Programs
The project developed an online course for cat handlers to complement the FeTAT tool. This blended learning program provides theoretical and practical training on feline care and therapy, covering cat behavior, welfare, and AAS ethics. The course consists of online modules, followed by an in-person training camp. This format allows participants to study at their own pace, then apply their knowledge in a hands-on environment under expert guidance. The goal is to equip handlers with the skills to foster a positive, effective relationship with their therapy cats, benefiting clients in cat-assisted interventions.
4. Blended Learning Course on Farm Animals in Support Programs
The project launched an educational program on Farm Animal-Assisted Services (FAAS) to recognize the unique role of farm animals in therapy. This course covers animal behavior, welfare standards, and risk management. It explores how interactions with animals like goats, cows, and chickens can contribute to therapeutic and educational settings. Like the cat course, it features an online learning phase followed by practical training, including farm site visits. This structure ensures participants learn theory and gain practical experience, applying best practices for integrating farm animals into support services.
A Unified Effort to Standardize and Enhance AAS
All materials developed through this project are freely available, offering valuable resources to animal-assisted practitioners and researchers worldwide. The outcomes highlight the power of international collaboration, with each partner contributing unique expertise to achieve a well-rounded and impactful result. This project serves as a model in the AAS field, combining scientific research, practical applications, and a strong commitment to animal welfare.
Those interested can access detailed information, training tools, and guidelines online. This ensures that the knowledge and resources generated through the project continue to enhance and advance future animal-assisted interventions.
The project culminated in a comprehensive conference that brought together practitioners, researchers, and AAS enthusiasts to share and discuss key findings. Expert-led sessions covered essential topics like animal behavior assessment, social media’s influence on human-animal perceptions, and practical training with livestock and cats. All conference lectures were recorded and are now accessible on the project’s website, providing an ongoing resource of valuable insights and practical guidance for those dedicated to advancing AAS standards.
All the material can be found free of use on the project’s website: https://zwierzetaludziom.pl/cats-donkeys-chickens-and-other-species-in-practice-how-animals-change-therapies/
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
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