Animal assisted activity

Animal-assisted activity is a form of animal-assisted intervention (AAI for short). Animal-assisted activity refers to interventions involving animals that offer the opportunity to support educational, rehabilitative and social processes and improve people's well-being (source: Vernooij/Schneider: Handbuch der tiergestützten Intervention: p. 34 ff.) It makes no difference whether the person observes the animal from a distance or interacts with it directly. Animal-assisted activities are planned, goal-oriented but informal interactions (interrelationships) between humans and animals for the benefit of clients, for example during walks, as part of visiting services (e.g. in schools, retirement homes, kindergartens), as co-coaches in coaching services and more. Animal-assisted interventions such as animal-assisted activity, equine therapy, animal-assisted education and others have a proven beneficial effect on various social, cognitive, psychological and physiological levels and promote general well-being and enjoyment of life, among other things.