Pet Therapy online course | Learn Animal-Assisted Therapy
Pet Therapy

Pet Therapy

Study pet and animal-assisted therapy online. Learn strategies for using pets or animals in hospitals, care homes, or therapy; for palliative care, physical or sensory disabilities, mental health conditions, recovery from disease or surgery.

Course Code: BPS221
Payment Options
Duration (approx) 100 hours
Qualification Statement of Attainment

Aims

  • Explain the nature of pet therapy and determine where it may be used as a therapeutic tool.
  • Explain how pets can contribute to a person’s wellbeing as a companion or working animal.
  • Determine how to work with animals effectively and appropriately in a therapeutic situation.
  • Discuss ways in which pet therapy can be used for people with psychological conditions.
  • Discuss ways in which pet therapy can be used for people with physical disabilities
  • Discuss ways in which pet therapy can be used for children of different ages and circumstances.
  • Discuss ways in which pet therapy can be used for older people in different circumstances.
  • Plan the establishment and operation of a pet therapy service.

What You Will Do

Explore the positive and negative effects pet ownership has on health. Find out about local animal assistance therapies or groups available in your local area. Gather information on the range of animal therapies which are used specifically in mental health care support. Observe a therapy session taking place. Research different ways that animals can benefit our health. Watch a dog being trained for therapy work. Using personal experiences, or those of someone you know, consider how animals can improve mental health. Investigate how a specific mental health disorder such as depression, anxiety or PTSD can benefit from pet therapy Talk to someone who has made use of pet therapy for physical disabilities and research how pet therapy is carried out, including how it benefits the person. Carry out research into pet therapy with older people. Talk to an older person or several older people who have experienced pet therapy and ask them to share their experiences. Prepare a plan for establishing a pet therapy service. Find out about the use of therapy assistance pets and animals in schools and education settings.

Lesson Structure

There are 8 lessons in this course:

  1. Scope and Nature of Pet Therapy
    • Introduction to Pet Therapy
    • Animal and Human Relationships
    • Animal Assisted Therapy
    • Animal Assisted Activities
    • Animals Used in Pet Therapy
    • Scientific Research Supporting Pet Therapy
    • Tension and Stress
    • Depression and Anxiety
    • Touch, Affection and Companionship
    • Immune System Response and Pain Control
    • Cancer Patients, Palliative Care and Heart Disease
    • Healthier Lifestyles, Structure and Routine
    • Benefits for Older People
    • Pet Therapy and Children
    • Negative Effects of Pet Therapy on People
    • Negative Impacts on Pets and Animals
    • Cultural Differences
  2. Mental Health and Physical Assistance
    • Pet Therapy Research and Mental Health Conditions Introduction
    • Agitation and Cognitive Impairments
    • Depression
    • Schizophrenia
    • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
    • Stress
    • Human-Animal Interactions
    • Bonding
    • Warning and Protection
    • Transport and Carriage
    • Working Animals
  3. Working with animals
    • Introduction to working animals.
    • Factors for Consideration
    • Human Safety
    • Client Possessive Behaviour and Bonding
    • Animal Health and Welfare
    • Animal Behaviour
    • Resources and Legalities
    • Animal Species
    • Large, Medium and Small Animals
    • Suitability to the Client
    • Therapy Settings
    • Preparing Clients and Animals for a Session
  4. Applications for people with mental health conditions
    • Mental Health Conditions
    • Mood Disorders
    • Anxiety
    • Social Phobias
    • Depression
    • Developmental Disorders
    • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
    • Autism Spectrum Disorder
    • Autism Assistance Dogs
    • The Stress Response
    • Panic Attacks
    • Other Animal Contributions to Mental Wellbeing (Pleasure, Motivation and Exercise)
  5. Applications for people with disabilities
    • Benefits of a Pet Therapy Program for People with Disabilities
    • Service Assistance Animals
    • Guide Dogs
    • Hearing Dogs
    • Seizure Alert Dogs
    • Diabetic Alert Dogs
    • Allergy Detection Dogs
    • Mobility Assistance Dogs
    • Physiotherapy Assistance Dogs
    • Pet Therapy Dogs Summary
  6. Applications for Children
    • Pet Therapy and Children Introduction
    • Difficulties of Pet Therapy with Children
    • Developing Empathy
    • The Benefits of Pet Therapy for Children
    • Children with ADHD
    • Children with Autism
  7. Applications for Older People
    • Introduction
    • Specific Applications of Therapy for Elderly
    • Grief and Loss
    • Physical Activity
    • Stress, Blood Pressure and Anxiety
    • Cardiovascular Disease
    • When The Owner Can No Longer Care for the Animal
  8. Establishing a Pet Therapy Service
    • Pet Therapy as a Business
    • Planning Your Pet Therapy Service
    • Which Animal is Most Suitable
    • Client Group
    • Timeline
    • Marketing Your Services
    • Data Protection and Privacy
    • Veterinarians
    • Other Services
    • Free or Paid For Services
    • Insurance
    • Business Plan
    • Buying an Existing Business
    • Animal Welfare Considerations
    • Remaining Competitive

Accreditations

Association for CoachingComplementary Medicine AssociationStudy Gold CoastACS Global PartnerInternational Approval and Registration CentreUK Learning Provider Register

Learn about the Science Supporting Pet Therapy

For a long time, the benefits of having a pet have been considered anecdotally.  Pet therapy and animal therapy is a relatively new form of therapy and further research is being carried out to determine the effectiveness of the treatment. Having a pet and pet therapy has been shown to have substantial impacts upon a person’s health.  Research has found that pet owners over 65 years of age who have a pet, have 30% less visits to a doctor than those without a pet.

Why Study This Course?

Pet therapy is an emerging field which is likely to expand considerably over coming years. Now is a good time to get a foothold in this developing industry.

  • Understand and apply pet therapy in your work
  • Develop a new career path
  • Use what you learn as therapy for rehabilitation 
  • CPD for anyone in health or welfare industries
  • Pursue an area of interest or passion

This course is ideal for skill development for people in other therapy roles, or those working in related fields like counsellors, coaches, carers, or anyone in healthcare. It may also suit people who already work with animals who wish to expand their repertoire or change direction e.g. veterinary nurses, animal welfare officers, animal trainers.

How can I start this course?

You can enrol at anytime and start the course when you are ready. Enrolments are accepted all year - students can commence study at any time. All study is self paced and ACS does not set assignment deadlines.

Please note that if a student is being assisted by someone else (e.g. an employer or government subsidy), the body offering the assistance may set deadlines. Students in such situations are advised to check with their sponsor prior to enrolling. The nominal duration of a course is approximately how long a course takes to complete. A course with a nominal duration of 100 hours is expected to take roughly 100 hours of study time to complete. However, this will vary from student to student. Short courses (eg. 100 hrs duration) should be completed within 12 months of enrolment. Certificates, Advanced Certificates and Awards (eg. over 500 hours duration) would normally be completed within 3 -5 years of enrolment. Additional fees may apply if a student requires an extended period to complete.
If a student cannot submit their assignments for 6 months to ACS, they should advise the school to avoid cancellation of their student
registration. Recommencement fees may apply.

Simply click on the ENROL OPTIONS button at the top of this screen and follow the prompts.

You can see the course price at the top of this page. Click 'enrolment options' to see any payment options available.

You can pay by Credit Card, PayPal, Afterpay or bank transfer.

Yes! We have payment plans for most courses. Click 'enrolment options' to see the available payment plans.
We also have Afterpay that will allow you to pay for your course or payment plans in four instalments (if you are in Australia).

What do I need to know before I enrol?

There are no entry requirements that you need to meet to enrol in our courses, our courses are for everyone.
If you are under 18, we need written permission from your parent/ guardian for your enrolment to continue, we can arrange that after you have enrolled.

You don’t need to purchase any additional resources to complete our courses.

We aim to teach you the essentials without you having to purchase any specific computer program.
We recommend that you have access to a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs, so that you can easily complete and submit your assignments.

You sure can. We are here to help you learn whatever your abilities.

Yes, if you are enrolling in a Certificate or Advanced Certificate, you might be eligible for credits if you have evidence of your previous studies or relevant experience. More information is here.

We recommend that you are able to browse websites, send emails and conduct online research. You will need to be able to type and submit your assignments.
If you have limited computer skills, we can make special arrangements for you.

This is possible, it depends on the institution. We recommend that if you would like to use our courses that you contact the institution first. Our Course Handbook is a good resource for this.

Our courses are written in English and we only have English speaking academic staff. If you can read and complete your assignments in English, our courses are ideal for you.

Our courses are designed to build knowledge, hands on skills and industry connections to help prepare you to work in the area, running your own business, professional development or as a base for further study.

This course has been designed to cover the fundamentals of the topic. It will take around 100 hours to complete, which includes your course reading, assignment work, research, practical tasks, watching videos and anything else that is contained in the course. Our short courses are a great way to do some professional development or to learn a new skill.

It’s up to you. The study hours listed in the course are a rough guide, however if you were to study a short course (100 hours) at 10 hours per week, you could finish the course in 10 weeks (just an example). Our courses are self-paced, so you can work through the courses in your own time. We recommend that you wait for your tutor to mark and return your assignment before your start your next one, so you get the benefits of their feedback.

The course consists of course notes, videos, set tasks for your practical work, online quizzes, an assignment for each lesson (that you receive feedback from your tutor from) and ends in an exam (which is optional, if would like to receive the formal award at the end), using our custom built Learning Management System - Login.Training.

Our courses are designed for adults to gain professional development and skills to further their careers and start businesses.

Our custom online learning portal allows you to conduct your learning online. There may be practical tasks that you can do offline. You have the option of downloading your course notes or print them to read later.

There is also the option to pay an additional fee for printed course notes and or USB (availability limited to location and deliverability).

Yes, if you don’t have access to the internet, you can receive the course as paper notes or on a USB stick for an additional fee. We can also make alternative arrangements for you to send your assignments to us.

We offer printed notes for an additional fee. Also, you can request your course notes on a USB stick for an additional fee.

Yes, your tutor is here to help you. Simply post any questions you have in your login.training portal or contact the office and we can pass on a message to your tutor.

We are more learning focussed, rather than assessment focussed. You have online quizzes to test your learning, written assignments and can complete an exam at the end of the course (if you want to receive your certificate). You will not receive a pass/ fail on your course work. If you need to add more details on your assignment, we will ask you to resubmit and direct you where you need to focus. If you need help, you can ask your tutor for advice in the student room.

Each module (short course) is completed with one exam.

Exams are optional, however you must sit an exam if you would like to receive a formal award. You will need to find someone who can supervise that you are sitting the exams under exams conditions. There is an additional cost of $60 incl. GST for each exam.
More information is here

There are practical components built into the course that have been designed to be achieved by anyone, anywhere. If you are unable to complete a task for any reason, you can ask your tutor for an alternative.

When you complete the course work and the exam and you will be able receive your course certificate- a Statement of Attainment. Otherwise, you can receive a Letter of Completion.

You can bundle the short courses to create your own customised learning bundle, Certificates or Advanced Certificates. More information is on this page.

Yes, our courses are built to be applicable for people living anywhere in any situation. We provide the fundamentals, and each student can apply their own unique flair for their own interests, region and circumstances with the one-on-one guidance of a tutor. There is also a bit of student directed research involved.

Employers value candidates with industry skills, knowledge, practical skills and formal learning. Our courses arm you with all of these things to help prepare you for a job or start your own business. The longer you study the more you will learn.

ACS has an arrangement with OAMPS (formerly AMP) who can arrange Professional Indemnity from Australian and New Zealand graduates across all disciplines. Ph: 1800 222 012 or email acs@oamps.com.au.

Who are ACS Distance Education?

ACS Distance Education have been educating people for over 40 years.

We are established and safe- we have been in education for over 40 years.
We are focused on developing innovative courses that are relevant to you now and what you will need to know in the future.
We are focused on helping you learn and make the most of your experience.
You can enrol at any time, you can work on your course when it suits you and at your own pace.
We are connected to many industry bodies and our staff participate in continuous improvement and learning activities to ensure that we are ahead of what learning is needed for the future.

Our courses are not accredited by the Australian Government. However many of our courses are recognised and held in high regard by many industry bodies.

Our courses are written by our staff, who all have many years experience and have qualifications in their speciality area. We have lots of academic staff who write and update our courses regularly.

How do I enrol my staff/ sponsored students?

Yes, you can do a request for a bulk enrolment and request an invoice on our Invoice Request Form

We can prepare an invoice, quote or proforma invoice. Simply complete your details on our Invoice Request form

We can arrange bulk discounts for your course enrolment, please get in touch with us to discuss your needs.

Yes, we have many students who are in locked facilities, such as prisons or hospitals. We can cater by also offering paper notes at an additional cost.

What if I have any more questions or need more information?

We can assist you to find the right course for your needs. Get in touch with us via email (admin@acs.edu.au) call on +61 7 5562 1088 or complete our course advice form.

What if I change my mind?

Please get in touch with studentservices@acs.edu.au if you would like to be removed from our mail list.

If you would like ACS Distance Education to delete your information at any time (whether you are a customer or a prospective customer), please contact our privacy officer and we will process this ( admin@acs.edu.au ).

If students require a reproduction of their certificate, an electronic copy can be provided at a cost of AUD$35 incl GST. Printed copies are not available.

Need Help?

Take advantage of our personalised, expert course counselling service to ensure you're making the best course choices for your situation.


I agree for ACS Distance Education to contact me and store my information until I revoke my approval. For more info, view our privacy policy.