Embarking on the journey for animal assisted therapy in OT

Evidence of animal assisted therapy (AAT) in the scope of occupational therapy (OT) is not new and has been seen several times within the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Conferences, in written works, and has been included as an innovative or emerging practice setting (Winkle & Ni, 2019a). There is no doubt that AAT is popular and gaining momentum. However, most practitioners new to the field simply do not know where to start to embark on this specialty area. This article provides an entry-level checklist for your professional development plan as you begin the AAT competency journey with dogs in the context of OT. Although AAT can be delivered by different professionals in the healthcare/human service industry, the focus of this article will be on animal assisted therapy delivered by occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs).