Client and Animal Safety Flashcards
7 cards from real AAT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Client and Animal Safety flashcards as text
An AAT practitioner notices a client with a dog phobia has been assigned to an animal-assisted session without prior disclosure. The ethical response is to:
Answer: Halt the session, notify the treatment team, and obtain informed consent before any future animal contact
Informed consent is mandatory; proceeding without it when a known phobia exists is both unethical and potentially harmful.
A therapy horse becomes agitated when a new client approaches with an umbrella. The safest response is to:
Answer: Ask the client to put away the umbrella and allow the horse to calm before any approach
Removing the trigger and allowing the animal to return to a calm baseline prevents injury from an unpredictable flight or startle response.
Hand hygiene after an AAT session is recommended primarily to prevent:
Answer: Transmission of zoonotic pathogens from animal to client or vice versa
Hand hygiene breaks the zoonotic transmission chain by removing pathogens that can be transferred through animal contact.
Which behavioral sign in a therapy dog signals that the animal has reached its stress threshold and needs a break?
Answer: Repeatedly looking away, yawning, and refusing treats
Displacement behaviors like yawning, repeated gaze aversion, and food refusal indicate the animal is overwhelmed and needs rest.
A client discloses a shellfish allergy just before an AAT session involving aquatic animals. The practitioner should:
Answer: Consult medical staff and avoid aquatic animal contact until cleared
Cross-reactive allergens and skin contact risks require medical clearance before exposing clients with known allergies to aquatic species.
The PRIMARY purpose of maintaining a session log documenting animal behavior during AAT is to:
Answer: Track animal welfare trends and identify early signs of chronic stress or burnout
Behavioral logs allow handlers and practitioners to detect patterns of stress accumulation over time, protecting long-term animal welfare.
When introducing a therapy animal to a client who uses a motorized wheelchair, the handler should:
Answer: Allow the animal to approach the wheelchair at its own pace in a calm environment before any session
Gradual, voluntary approach by the animal prevents a startle response to an unfamiliar moving object and ensures a safe first interaction.