While animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is increasingly recognized for its profound benefits to incarcerated individuals, the welfare of the dogs involved is often overlooked. Without unified standards, therapy teams rely on organization-specific guidelines, resulting in inconsistent practices and potential ethical concerns.
Collica-Cox & Day (2021) explored these issues through interviews with therapy teams working in Parenting, Prison & Pups (PPP), a correctional parenting program that integrates AAT. The research examined how agencies and handlers promote and ensure the safety, comfort, and ethical treatment of canine partners in challenging prison environments.
The findings suggest that while some organizations have developed strong protocols that prioritize dog welfare, the lack of a national accrediting body leaves gaps in consistency and professionalism. Mental health professionals incorporating dogs into therapy are particularly affected, as their codes of ethics often lack explicit guidance for working with non-human partners.
The authors argue that nationally recognized standards are essential to protect therapy dogs and to ensure their role is respected as therapeutic partners rather than tools. Such frameworks would both elevate professional practice and promote a more balanced approach to human–animal therapeutic relationships in correctional settings.
Source: Collica-Cox, K., & Day, G. J. (2021). Dogs as Therapeutic Partners, Not Therapeutic Tools: Ethical Considerations for AAT in the Correctional Setting. Social Sciences. Published November 10, 2021.
