AAT Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield AAT facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What is the recommended minimum interval between a therapy animal receiving a bath and participating in a facility visit? → 24 hours
2. What does a program evaluation in AAT primarily measure? → Whether the AAT program is achieving its stated therapeutic goals and operating safely
3. Why is it necessary to evaluate a client’s progress during therapy? → To ensure therapy is effective and make necessary adjustments
4. Why is it important for therapists to continually educate themselves on ethical standards? → To ensure that therapy remains up-to-date and ethically sound
5. Toxoplasmosis poses the greatest documented risk to which AAT client group involving cat-assisted therapy? → Pregnant women, especially those who are seronegative
6. Which ethical principle is MOST relevant when a client expresses ambivalence about AAT during care planning? → Autonomy — respect the client's right to accept or decline the intervention
7. A therapy dog repeatedly seeks to end interactions by turning away and yawning during sessions. This MOST likely indicates: → The dog is displaying calming signals indicating stress
8. A therapy horse shows pinned ears and tail swishing during a session. The handler should: → Immediately pause the interaction and assess what is causing the horse's distress
9. When planning AAT interventions for a client with OCD, which consideration is MOST important? → Avoiding accommodation of contamination-related rituals while supporting gradual exposure
10. Which of the following is considered an 'appeasement gesture' in canine communication? → Licking another dog's or person's face
11. Which of the following environments requires the STRICTEST animal cleanliness protocols before an AAT visit? → Oncology ward
12. What does a 'two-failure' or 'strike system' commonly refer to in AAT animal evaluation programs? → A protocol where an animal showing stress signals twice in a session is removed
13. During assessment, a client rates their comfort with animals as 3 out of 10. What is the MOST appropriate initial care plan approach? → A gradual desensitization hierarchy, beginning with low-intensity animal exposure
14. How often should an AAT program conduct a formal program review? → At least annually, reviewing outcomes, safety records, and animal welfare
15. A therapy dog handler is asked to have the dog perform a behavior it has not been trained to do during a session. The correct response is to: → Decline and explain that the dog should only perform trained behaviors
16. A therapist wants to use AAT to address social skills deficits in a child with autism. Which strategy is MOST evidence-based? → Structured turn-taking activities involving the animal to practice social reciprocity
17. A core component of any therapy animal's temperament evaluation involves assessing the animal's reaction to what? → Interacting with unfamiliar people who may handle them clumsily.
18. What is the importance of obtaining informed consent before therapy begins? → To ensure clients are aware of the therapy and its risks
19. An AAT practitioner notices the therapy dog shows signs of stress mid-session. The ethically correct action is to: → Remove the animal immediately and address the client's needs otherwise
20. Which ethical standard requires AAT practitioners to treat all clients fairly regardless of background, diagnosis, or ability to pay? → Justice
21. Psittacosis (Chlamydia psittaci) is a zoonotic concern when birds are used in AAT. Through which route is it primarily transmitted to humans? → Inhalation of dried fecal matter or respiratory secretions
22. Informed consent in AAT must include disclosure of which of the following? → Potential risks such as allergies, zoonotic disease, and animal unpredictability
23. A client with dementia suddenly grabs a therapy cat tightly around the neck. The handler should FIRST: → Calmly redirect the client's hands while gently removing the cat
24. Which certification body is most widely recognized for evaluating therapy dogs in the United States? → Pet Partners (formerly Delta Society)
25. A therapist notices a client anthropomorphizing the therapy animal extensively. What is the MOST therapeutically productive response? → Explore the projections as potential windows into the client's own emotional experience
26. When a client terminates AAT prematurely against clinical advice, what is the practitioner's ethical responsibility? → Respect the client's autonomy, provide termination resources, and document the decision
27. Which of the following BEST describes a therapy animal's required response to sudden loud noises? → The animal should remain calm or recover quickly without displaying sustained fear
28. Which vaccination is universally required for therapy dogs before they can be certified by most US programs? → Rabies
29. What does 'species-appropriate housing' mean in the context of AAT animal welfare? → Providing an environment that meets the animal's specific biological and behavioral needs
30. When a therapy dog shows whale eye (visible whites of the eyes), the handler should: → Immediately remove the animal from the situation