Paws for Thought: Ethical Considerations of Therapy Dog Work

“Paws for Thought: Ethical Considerations of Therapy Dog Work,” Angie Moe, Professor in the Department of Sociology and Director of the WMU Therapy Dog Clinic. 5:30 p.m. in Room 2209 of the Student Center. Co-sponsors: WMU Therapy Dog Clinic.

Therapy dog programming has become increasingly prevalent across various health-care, education and community domains. Appropriately trained and evaluated therapy dogs and their handlers can provide a range of benefits, including providing emotional support, comfort and companionship to individuals facing physical, psychological or developmental challenges. While the benefits of animal-assisted interventions are well-documented, the ethical dimensions of therapy dog work remain underexplored. This is unfortunate, as the ethics of therapy dog work involve a complex interplay between the welfare of the animals, the safety of the recipients/clients, and the professional conduct of the therapy teams. This talk will examine the ethical considerations inherent in the incorporation of therapy dogs, focusing on the welfare of both human recipients and canine participants.