AAT Animal Welfare and Handling 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the Five Freedoms of animal welfare addresses the need for animals to express normal behavioral patterns?
- Freedom from pain, injury, or disease
- Freedom to express normal behavior (Correct answer)
- Freedom from fear and distress
- Freedom from hunger and thirst
Correct answer: Freedom to express normal behavior
The Five Freedoms include 'Freedom to express normal behavior,' which requires sufficient space, proper facilities, and company of the animal's own kind.
Question 2: When a therapy dog shows whale eye (visible whites of the eyes), the handler should:
- Continue the session as this is a sign of alertness
- Immediately remove the animal from the situation (Correct answer)
- Ask the client to pet the dog more to calm it
- Ignore it since therapy animals are trained to tolerate stress
Correct answer: Immediately remove the animal from the situation
Whale eye is a stress signal indicating the dog is uncomfortable; the handler must remove the animal to prevent escalation or a bite.
Question 3: A therapy cat begins grooming excessively during a session. This behavior most likely indicates:
- The cat is relaxed and comfortable
- The cat is excited to interact with clients
- The cat is experiencing stress or discomfort (Correct answer)
- The cat needs food or water
Correct answer: The cat is experiencing stress or discomfort
Excessive grooming (displacement grooming) in cats during AAT sessions is a stress response indicating the animal should be given a break.
Question 4: What is the recommended minimum rest period for a therapy animal between AAT sessions to prevent burnout?
- 5 minutes
- 15–20 minutes (Correct answer)
- 1 hour
- 24 hours
Correct answer: 15–20 minutes
Most AAT guidelines recommend at least 15–20 minutes of rest between sessions to allow the animal to decompress and recover.
Question 5: Which handling technique is considered best practice when introducing a therapy animal to a new client?
- Allow the client to rush toward the animal immediately
- Let the animal approach the client at its own pace (Correct answer)
- Restrain the animal tightly to prevent movement
- Always use treats to force the animal toward the client
Correct answer: Let the animal approach the client at its own pace
Allowing the animal to approach voluntarily respects its autonomy and reduces stress, making interactions safer and more effective.
Question 6: In AAT, 'over-handling' refers to:
- Using too many leash corrections during a session
- Exposing the animal to excessive interaction without adequate breaks (Correct answer)
- Handling the animal with too firm a grip
- Allowing the animal to interact with more than one client at a time
Correct answer: Exposing the animal to excessive interaction without adequate breaks
Over-handling occurs when animals are used for too many sessions without sufficient rest, leading to fatigue, stress, and reduced welfare.
Question 7: A therapy rabbit is placed on a client's lap and immediately tries to jump off. The handler should:
- Hold the rabbit firmly to prevent escape
- Remove the rabbit and respect its choice to disengage (Correct answer)
- Encourage the client to hold the rabbit tighter
- Continue the session since this behavior is normal for rabbits
Correct answer: Remove the rabbit and respect its choice to disengage
An animal's attempt to escape is a clear signal of discomfort; ethical AAT practice requires honoring the animal's right to disengage.
AAT Animal Welfare and Handling 2
Which of the Five Freedoms of animal welfare addresses the need for animals to express normal behavioral patterns?