AAAIP Professional Team Assessments  

Say Goodbye to the One-Size-Fits-All Approach to Therapy Animal Team Evaluations  

 

You’ve demonstrated awareness of best practices and built a solid structure for your program. Now, it’s time to assess as a professional therapy animal team. Every professional partnering with an animal should undergo an objective, third-party evaluation.

 

AAAIP’s Competencies for the Ethical Inclusion of Therapy/Facility Animals outlines key elements of any such evaluation, which should assess both handler and animal behaviors.

 

Historically, professionals have relied on evaluations provided by volunteer-based organizations like Pet Partners. While these evaluations are valuable and well-suited for those engaging in volunteer visits, they may not fully capture the professional competencies required for those working in more formal settings. To address this gap, AAAIP is developing a specialized assessment designed specifically for AAI professionals. This new assessment takes place in the professional’s workplace, allowing the assessor to observe the dynamics between the professional and their animal in real-world contexts, ensuring the pair is suitable for the role.

 

As we prepare to launch this opportunity at large in 2026, the assessment program is currently only available to AAAIP members who have earned their AAIS certification.

 

Professional Assessment Pilot Program Process:

 

  1. Application: AAAIP members interested in being assessed in their working environment can apply to participate in the pilot program here.
  2. Assessment: AAAIP members will collaborate with AAAIP leadership to find a local trainer who will shadow their work and complete the AAAIP Assessor Scoresheet.
  3. Certificate of Completion: Assessors will submit their scoresheet to AAAIP and AAAIP will then issue a certificate to the professional confirming their successful completion of an AAAIP Team Assessment.
  4. Insurance: This certificate can be used as evidence of evaluation when obtaining professional liability insurance.

 

We look forward to the day when all professionals working with therapy animals can complete assessments tailored specifically for them!