User:Mwinkle/sandbox

An Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) is a goal-directed intervention designed to promote improvement in physical, social, emotional and/or cognitive functioning of the person(s) involved and in which a specially trained animal-handler team is an integral part. AAI is directed and/or delivered by a practitioner with specialized expertise and within the scope of practice of his/her profession. There are specific goals for each individual involved and the process is documented and evaluated. The fields of Animal Assisted Education (AAE) and Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) cover these types of Animal Assisted Interventions.

An intervention can also be less goal-directed and more casual or spontaneous. This type of intervention is designed to promote a range of other than therapeutic or educational benefits and to enhance the quality of life. The field of Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) covers this type of Animal Assisted Interventions.

An Animal Assisted Intervention may be provided in a variety of settings, may be group or individual in nature and may be implemented for persons of any age.