Therapy Animal Evaluation for Professionals
You’re a professional, your evaluation should be too.
The Evaluation for Professionals is Different from a Volunteer Evaluation
Before AAAIP, professionals partnering with therapy animals in settings such as schools, clinics, or offices relied on volunteer evaluations to assess their skills. These volunteer therapy animal evaluations took place in a variety of settings and focused primarily on obedience cues and responses to different situations.
AAAIP’s Evaluation for Professionals is different. It takes place in your actual workplace (or a setting that closely mimics it) and is designed to evaluate how you and your animal work together in real-time, real-world situations.
Evaluators assess:
- How you direct interactions
- Your ability to monitor your animal for signs of stress
- How you advocate for their well-being
- Your animal’s degree of fit in your work
After earning your Certification for Animal-Assisted Intervention Specialists (C-AAIS) and verifying your knowledge of best practices, you are ready to apply for the Evaluation for Professionals. The evaluation takes up to two hours and helps ensure your animal is not only capable but thriving in your work setting.
Re-evaluation happens every two years, or if there are any major changes to your work environment. By re-evaluating, you show your clients and insurers that you’re both still working at the highest level of ethical standards and practices.
AAAIP evaluations are grounded in the Competencies for the Ethical Inclusion of Therapy/Facility Animals: a clear, credible guide for responsible professionals.
Get Certified as an AAI Specialist
Becoming certified as an AAI Specialist is the first step towards earning your Professional Therapy Animal team title. Once you’ve tested your knowledge, you’ll be ready to evaluate with your animal in your work setting.
Save with AAAIP Membership
Save $100 off the cost of the C-AAIS with our membership program. Members also have access to the AAAIP Professional Team Evaluation and can purchase insurance customized to cover work in animal-assisted interventions. AAAIP will set you and your animal partner up for success!
How to Apply for the AAAIP Evaluation for Professionals
When you’re ready to take the next step with your animal partner, follow these steps:
Testimonials
Evaluation Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Volunteer evaluations are typically conducted in public settings and emphasize obedience cues and responses to many situations. AAAIP’s Evaluation for Professionals is different. It takes place in your work environment (or a similar simulated one) and assesses how well you and your animal function as a professional team. The goal is to ensure your animal is not just well-behaved, but well-suited for your specific workplace and role.
An approved evaluator will observe how you and your animal work together in your natural setting—whether that’s a therapy room, classroom, or clinic. Evaluations last up to two hours and focus on how you direct interactions with clients, students, or patients; how you monitor your animal for stress or discomfort; how obedience cues are used naturally in your day-to-day work (e.g., sitting before entering a room, loose-leash walking); and your ability to advocate for your animal’s safety and well-being.
The evaluation is not about perfection. It’s about safety, suitability, and professional standards.
This evaluation is available to AAAIP members who have earned the Certified Animal-Assisted Intervention Specialist (C-AAIS) credential and are incorporating therapy or facility animals into their paid professional roles.
Your evaluator will submit your score report to AAAIP. Once processed, you’ll receive an official Certificate of Completion, recognizing you as a Professional Therapy Animal Team for two years. You can use this certificate to obtain professional liability insurance. Click here to learn more about insurance.
AAAIP is here to support your growth. If your animal exhibits aggression during the evaluation, you will not be eligible for a retest. But if your team simply needs more experience or practice, you’ll receive feedback and may reschedule the evaluation at your convenience.