Handlers' Representations on Therapy Dogs' Welfare

Simple Summary Most research about Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI) has focused on the benefits on human health. In contrast, very little has been made on the impact of this work on therapy dogs, although it is part of the ethics of the practice to ensure their welfare. This study aimed to contribute to the knowledge on the welfare of therapy dogs by interviewing 111 handlers through an online questionnaire. The qualitative assessment of handlers' representations underlined that the welfare of therapy dogs is multidimensional and can be impacted by various variables. Its consideration is important for the quality and safety of the sessions, both for the dog and for the beneficiaries involved. Handlers have a central role in the welfare of their therapy dog and must be trained on stress-related behaviors. Research needs to focus on the impact of interactions on therapy dogs. While research on the benefits of animal-assisted interventions is beginning to build a significant body of work, studies on the well-being of therapy dogs are still in their infancy. Since handlers are the people responsible for their therapy dog's welfare, we interviewed 111 French handlers through an online questionnaire. Our results underlined that (i) therapy dogs' welfare is multidimensional when physical and psychological welfare, a balance between work and dog life and the settings and interactions of sessions are all taken into consideration. (ii) The response of our handlers emphasized that considering therapy dog welfare is important for the quality and safety of AAI. (iii) Three categories of risks factors were highlighted: the spatio-temporal framework (planning and environment), the interactions with beneficiaries and the handler themselves. It is particularly important that handlers talk about the negative impact of interactions with beneficiaries since they are at the heart of AAI, however there are few studies focusing on interactions as a stressor for dogs in this practice. Moreover, since there is a potential for positive bias in the handlers' representations, it is important that they be trained to identify and manage the stress in their dogs. Future research is particularly needed on the impact of interactions during sessions on therapy dog welfare.