AN 224 - Animals in Practice

3 Credits
Outline Effective Date: Academic Year 2025/2026
Revised Date: Aug 14, 2025
Date Approved: Aug 14, 2025

Lecture Hours: 45

Course Description:
This course provides detailed information about the many ways animals are currently being partnered with people to help them. Also about the animals’ proper titles depending on the type of work they are doing. The common species of animals typically partnered with in AAI are discussed as well as details about their language and behavior and things you are expected to know if partnering with them in your work. How to choose a wellness or intervention animal is discussed as well as the process of having it screened and certified to work with you. The general ethics of handling animals in practice are addressed.

Rationale:
This is a required course for the Animal Assisted Wellness certificate.

This course provides details of what we require to partner with animals to help others. It is important to understand the difference of the many types of assistance animals along with gaining knowledge of the most common species. There are many ethical considerations in partnering with animals that you, as the animal handler, are required to know.

Ensuring your animal is suited to you and your profession is also imperative and this course provides information for you to consider in making those choices.

Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None

Course Learning Outcomes:
A student who successfully completes the course will have reliably demonstrated the ability to

articulate the titles, tasks, and rights of the many animals currently in the assistance industry.
identify the common species partnered with in animal assisted interventions.
discuss the language, normal and stressed behavior of animals most often found in animal assisted interventions.
make informed decisions about choosing a wellness or intervention animal.
outline the screening and certification process of animals in interventions.
discuss the ethical auspices of handling intervention / wellness animals.

Required Resource Materials:
Fine, A. H. (2019). Handbook on animal-assisted therapy: Foundations and guidelines for

animal-assisted interventions (5^th ed.). Academic Press.

Optional Resource Materials:
None

Conduct of Course:
This course includes online lecture, discussions via discussion boards, videos, PowerPoint presentations with embedded audio clips, videos, and assignments to deliver the course content. Self-study using referenced texts and articles is recommended. Participation is necessary.

Because this course is on-line, attendance is demonstrated by keeping up with readings and assignments, participation in dialogue on the discussion board and completing course work and assignments to the satisfaction of the instructor.

In cases where illness impedes participation, the student may be requested to submit a medical certificate.

Content of Course:

Types of assistance animals - titles, tasks, and rights
Common species in animal assisted interventions
Language and behavior of common species in animal assisted interventions
Choosing an assistance animal
Screening and certification of assistance animals
Handling assistance animals - considerations for and ethics

Course Assessments:
The requirement for marks in this course consists of assignments, a midterm exam, a final exam, and participation.

Midterm Exam	30%
Assignments	30%
Final Exam	35%
Participation	5%
Total	100%

Official final grades will be available on My Lakeland. Grades posted in D2L should be considered interim grades.
“Lakeland College is committed to the highest academic standards. Students are expected to be familiar with Lakeland College policies and to abide by these policies. Violations of these policies are considered to be serious and may result in suspension or expulsion from the College.”

Course Pass Requirements:
A minimum grade of D (50%) (1.00) is required to pass this course.

Letter	F	D	D+	C-	C	C+	B-	B	B+	A-	A	A+
Percent Range	0-49	50-52	53-56	57-59	60-64	65-69	70-74	75-79	80-84	85-89	90-94	95-100
Points	0.00	1.00	1.30	1.70	2.00	2.30	2.70	3.00	3.30	3.70	4.00	4.00

Students must maintain a cumulative grade of C (GPA - Grade Point Average of 2.00) in order to qualify to graduate.

Every effort has been made to ensure that information in this course outline is accurate at the time of publication. Lakeland College reserves the right to change courses if it becomes necessary so that course content remains relevant.

In such cases, the instructor will give students clear and timely notice of changes.

No part of this course outline may be reproduced in any form or resold without written permission from Lakeland College.

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