Guidelines for Animal Visits and Interventions in Public and Private Health Services

Pets can be a great comfort to an individual at many stages in life. In long term care and during cognitive decline animal visits and interventions can be a person-centered method to create a better health experience for an individual.

Recognizing the benefits of therapeutic interactions with animals for patients and residents, the New South Wales Ministry of Health in Australia created a set of guidelines in 2012 which outlines infection prevention and control considerations, types of animal visitation, screening considerations, and considerations for resident animals (if an animal resides in a health facility).

This resource can be accessed here: http://bit.ly/1Tz6VPd