Facilitation Technique Category: Therapeutic Use of Animals

Title: Visiting with Animals

Source: Wolfe, B., McKenney, A., & Marsden, S. (n.d.). Therapeutic Use of Animals. In
Facilitation Techniques in Therapeutic Recreation (3rd ed., pp. 599-631). Venture Publishing.
Equipment: Chairs, an animal, a leash
Activity Description:
For a long time, animals have been an important part of American society. Besides
providing companionship, animals have been found to provide individuals therapeutic benefit. It
is noted that the strength of using animals in therapy resides in the feelings that are often
elicited by using animals in therapeutic contexts, the diversity of settings and populations where
animals can be used therapeutically where the effects have been shown to provide a sense of
normalcy and well-being and aided in the social development of individuals. The purpose of
utilizing animals as a therapeutic intervention is to assist with development of empathy and
positive social behaviors, as well as increase people with disabilities independence with the
assistance of dogs trained to be helping companions. The focus of this session will be placed
on social interaction between the participants and animal-handler teams rather than on physical
rehabilitation. This activity is best completed with a 1:4 facilitator to participant ratio, however
can be completed with more participants, if the number allows for the participants to be split up
into groups of no more than four participants at a time with one facilitator. There are many
different aspects that go into facilitating an animal-assisted activity. Most of these aspects will be
discussed in the Leadership Considerations section. Often these sessions will take around 3060 minutes to engage in. To begin the Visiting with Animals session, the facilitator will arrange
the room to allow for ease with the interaction between animals and participants. Chairs will be
placed in small groups to enable interaction. The facilitator will prepare participants for the
session with animals by describing the animal-handler teams who attend the session and the
organization with which they are associated. The participants will be provided specific
information about the visiting animals, providing photographs of the animals with a short
description about them including names, breeds, and activities the animals enjoy. During this
time, the facilitator will facilitate a group discussion, asking participants questions such as Have
you ever owned a pet?, if so What was the pets name? or even have him/her imagine a friends
pet. The facilitator may ask Why do you like your pet? other discussion ideas include asking
participants to Tell a funny story about your pet or tell us some characteristics about your pet.
The facilitator will then encourage the participants to gather in the area where the session will
occur, as the group waits for the animal-handler team to arrive. The area could be indoors in a
room with adequate space to accommodate participants and animal-handler teams or outdoors in
an enclosed area. Then, each animal-handler team will move around the room and interacts with
each group of participants. As they move around the room, certain animal-handlers can be
directed to specific participants or groups of participants as each animal-handler team offers a
different opportunity for a therapeutic experience.
Leadership considerations:
A CTRS should be the facilitator of this activity. Regardless of the title, the facilitator
should have some foundational knowledge on the importance of therapeutic animals with

different populations and how it can be a beneficial therapeutic tool to utilize. The facilitator
must understand the type of animal-assisted techniques he/she is utilizing, whether it be for
direct therapeutic goals or solely the interaction with an animal to increase motivation, learning,
and leisure. The facilitator should be aware of any adaptations that may need to be made for the
activity prior to implementing it. The above technique is an animal-assisted activity. The
facilitator should specify procedures to be followed for a program employing animals in a
therapeutic process. Unless the TR specialist is experienced in animal-assisted therapy or an
animal-assisted activity, a reputable organization can be used to structure the program. The TR
specialist should explain to the participants that he/she should not feel undue pressure to interact
with the animals.
The TR specialist will need to work with an experience animal-handler team to build a
program that uses the abilities of specific animals for different people. The animal-handler teams
are matched with participants based on their needs. It is important for the TR specialist to
consider the selection of animal, materials, safety and health issues, go through a facilitator
training, understand environmental management, provide orientation and support, and care for
the animal. The most common animals used for this activity are dogs, cats, and rabbits. The size,
age, temperament, and training of the animal needs to be considered. The size of the visiting
animal needs to be considered with the equipment in use by the individuals around, such as poles
holding intravenous fluids or monitoring equipment. The animals age is important because an
animal that is too young may not be appropriately socialized with other people and may be too
active and more likely to be distracted.
The facilitator must consider the anticipated behavior of the animal. It is helpful for the
facilitator to be aware of the type of animal training and evaluation of animal-handler teams
employed by the external organizations. For this activity, the facilitator must be sure the
materials are considered, such as a leash for each animal. As well as, follow all health regulations
relating to infection control, environmental sanitation, and resident rights. The animals must be
healthy, clean, well-groomed, be parasite free, and have veterinary approval. It is important for
the facility to develop a written safety plan posted in areas where sessions occur.
If the CTRS chooses to facilitate the programs involving animals rather than using an
external organization, it is important that they have a clear understanding of participants goals
and desires so participants work towards those goals through guided interaction with the animals.
To accomplish these goals, the TR specialist needs to assess participants needs and abilities.
Another important consideration for the TR specialist to make is the environmental management,
where the primary concerns are accessing facilitation areas that are either indoor or outdoor
spaces available for a resident animal and implementing procedures to prevent the animal from
entering certain areas. The TR specialist should evaluate the staff to see if support exists to foster
the presence of a resident animal. It is important that the staff supports a resident animal, as well
providing orientation for new resident animals.
The TR specialist should consider costs and be aware of the budget provided, as well as
legal and liability concerns for either resident animals or visiting animals. Most organizations
provide liability insurance coverage. The TR specialist must prepare carefully for the session. If
the TR specialist decides to use an external organization, it is important to meet with
representatives of the organization prior to the program implementation to establish days, times,
and rooms most conducive for sessions.

Adaptations:
Participants who have Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD):
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that
interferes with social and academic/occupational functioning or development (Porter, 2015).
Individuals who have ADHD have markedly decreased inattention that is not due to defiance or
comprehension deficits, such as difficulty staying on task and lack of perseverance,
organization, and focus, and/or an age-inappropriate level of hyperactivity/impulsivity.
Depending on symptoms present in an individual, ADHD is identified as predominantly
hyperactive/impulsive presentation, a predominantly inattentive presentation, or a combined
presentation of inattention and hyperactivity. To adapt this activity to individuals who have
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, provide structure and consistency. Have clear
expectations, clear understanding of acceptable and unacceptable behavior and resultant
consequences, predictable routine, consistent and clear instructions, and clearly established rules
and target behaviors.
The facilitator can make adaptations to the plan, adding participation components, preselecting the groups of four and rotating individuals during activities. The facilitator should use
organizational tools, such as checklists to help children stay on task and transition. Materials
necessary by the participants, may be placed in individual bags to improve organization. The
environment should be adapted to create a positive environment that limits environmental stimuli
that could increase distraction, create enriching experiences to foster motivation, as well as
provide a safe, welcoming environment. It may be beneficial to provide incentives to
participation. Another environmental adaptation can include adding music and changing the tone
of voice, emotional vibe, and color to help achieve better focus. Review the materials and
instructions before beginning the task.
Participants who have a Gambling Disorder:
Gambling is defined as the action of play[ing] games of chance for money; bet.. It can
be described as social and non-problematic, however, for some, it can become a compulsion,
an activity that is carried out despite negative consequences or a desire to stop. Gambling
disorder has been shown to be associated with problems in health, social isolation or altered
social roles, depression, suicide ideation and suicide, and limited preparation for adulthood and
work. The therapist should be aware of behaviors or speech that may provide warning signs of a
negative view on him/herself that may lead to him/her placing him/herself in a potentially
harmful situation.
During the therapeutic session, the pet may be used as an icebreaker to eliminate
difficulty introducing oneself, by shifting the individuals attention to the animal, encouraging
relaxation. The pet may also bring about positive emotions. To assist the individual remember
when meetings will occur, use several calendars to mark appointments and discuss the
appointment times. It is important to provide an environment with open communication. The
therapist should adapt his/her tone to be slow and reassuring.
Adaptations References:

Wolfe, B., McKenney, A., & Marsden, S. (n.d.). Therapeutic Use of Animals. In
Facilitation Techniques in Therapeutic Recreation (3rd ed., pp. 599-631). Venture
Publishing.

Porter, H. R. (2015). 2. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity

Disorder. In Recreational Therapy for Specific Diagnoses and
Conditions (pp. 27-37). Enumclaw, WA: Idyll Arbor.

Porter, H. R. (2015). 15. Gambling Disorder.

In Recreational Therapy for Specific Diagnoses and
Conditions (pp. 161-167). Enumclaw, WA: Idyll Arbor.

de Lisle, S. M., Dowling, N. A., & Allen, J. S. (2011).

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for problem gambling.
Clinical Case Studies, 1534650111401016.