Animal Assisted Intervention Course

Animal Assisted Therapy Course
animal assistance therapy certificate
animal-assisted therapy course
child and a horse for assisted animal therapy

Level 3 Diploma in Animal Assisted Intervention 

  • The Animal Assisted Intervention Course is of benefit to those wanting to work in the field of Animal Assisted Intervention.
  • Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) is a type of therapy that involves animals as a form of treatment. The goal of AAI is to improve a patient’s social, emotional, or cognitive functioning. 
  • Animal Assisted Intervention services can help children, adolescents, adults and older people with mental health needs, physical or learning disabilities, to achieve increased health, wellbeing and quality of life.
  • Animal Assisted Intervention animals are selected by trained staff on temperament grounds to provide therapeutic visits to hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, special needs schools, prisons, etc. 
  • A career in this type of work also involves the care and welfare of the animals working in therapy.

Level 3 Diploma in Animal  Assisted Intervention

370 GLH

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Unit 1

History of Animal Assisted Intervention

This unit gives the learner a background of the human-animal bond, and how this relates to providing Animal Assisted Intervention.

Students will gain an understanding about Animal Assisted Intervention and how Animal Assisted Intervention can be used in practice.

Learn about the history and science behind Animal Assisted Intervention.

Unit 2

The Use of Animal Assisted Intervention

This unit enables learners to understand how Animal Assisted Intervention is used and the limits and contraindications of providing Animal Assisted Intervention

Students will explore the positive effects of Animal Assisted Intervention including: 

Learn how Animal Assisted Intervention can be used in the rehabilitation of offenders

Understand how Animal Assisted Therapy can be used in therapy for child and adult disease and disabilities 

Understand how Animal Assisted Intervention and Animal Assisted Therapy can be used with children and elderly.

Unit 3

Legal Responsibilities 

In the unit, students will gather an understanding of the legalities of those involved with Animal Assisted Intervention

This unit explores:

The safeguarding of service users/clients 

Lone working regulations

The various insurances related to the sector. 

Unit 4

Disabilities and Animal Assisted Intervention

Learn about various disabilities – both physical and mental, and the key awareness of working with animals  

Students will gain an understanding of disability awareness when working with animals, including how animals may affect a client group and vice-versa.

Unit 5

Selection, Training and Welfare of Animal Assisted Intervention Animals 

Students undertaking this unit will investigate the correct selection methods for finding suitable animals, how to train animals using positive, force-free methods, and the identification of behaviour and body language.

Explore the  selection and training process of Animal Assisted Intervention animals

Learn how to identify animals that are not suitable for Animal Assisted Intervention

Understand the welfare needs of Animal  Assisted Intervention animals

Learn about normal animal behaviour and how to identify the signs of stress including how to  minimise stress during transportation

This unit also  includes information about animal and human body language.

Unit 6

Animal Assisted Intervention Roles 

Students will explore the roles of those within Animal Assisted Intervention organisations.

Learn about Animal Assisted  Intervention standards

Understand the role of handler within organisations and the assessment process for Animal Assisted Intervention volunteer dogs

Unit 7

Animal Assisted Intervention Roles Part 2: Additional Skills 

Students will learn about the important additional skills needed for various Animal Assisted Intervention roles.

Gain an understanding about the interpersonal skills required for Animal Assisted Intervention

Learn  how to organise a successful Animal  Assisted Intervention session

Unit 8

Managing Personnel within Animal Assisted Intervention

In this unit, students will investigate the matching of clients to personnel and animals, and the importance and process of consent.

Unit 9

Animal Assisted Intervention Health and Safety 

In this unit, students will identify the basic Health and Safety requirements in line with current legislation and understand how to carry out risk assessments. 

This unit includes information about:

Health and hygiene when working with animals 

Basic and emergency animal first aid 

Basic animal health check

Practical Training


This qualification includes 2 (weekend) compulsory practical training days.

Next Practical Training Date (Watford): 14th and 15th March 2020

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Course starts 30th September,  enrol now to secure  your place

 Level 3  Diploma in Animal Assisted Intervention

Course Fees

£1,500

£695 deposit followed by 6 x monthly payments of £150

Through this Animal Assisted Intervention course, students will gain an understanding of animal assisted intervention and animal assisted activity and how these therapies work.

Learn about the training and selection methods used for different types of therapy animals and the protocols that are critically important to ensuring the welfare of therapy animals.

Animal Assisted Intervention for Children and Adults

Animal Assistance Intervention has been receiving growing attention as a legitimate form of treatment for many conditions in the scientific fields of nursing, medicine, and psychotherapy.

Interventions vary widely, from long-term arrangements in which patients adopt pets to short-term interactions between patients and a trained animal in structured activities. Learn how Animal Assisted Intervention and Animal Assisted Therapy can be used to stimulate the natural development of children and provide therapeutic care for the elderly.

Animal Assisted Intervention can also be used in the management of both developmental conditions in children and in the rehabilitation of offenders, as well as providing therapy for child and adult disease and disabilities.

Various animals can be used for animal assisted intervention. Dogs are most commonly used as they are easier to take into nursing homes, schools, hospitals, prisons, hospices etc; where-as cats are more likely to find the experience stressful and try to escape! However, all sorts of companion animals are utilised for therapy including horses, reptiles, rabbits, ferrets, etc. All assisted intervention animals are assessed for behavioural and temperament to ensure that they will react well to new and potentially unpredictable situations. It is important that the animal is calm and laid back and of course that they too gain positively from the interactions!

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