AAT Client and Animal Safety 4

Question 1

A therapy dog bites a client during an AAT session. After ensuring client safety, the handler's NEXT priority is:

Accepted Answer

Complete an incident report, quarantine the animal, and notify the supervising clinician

Answer

Incident reporting, animal quarantine per local ordinance, and immediate supervisor notification are mandatory post-bite protocols.

Question 2

Which factor most directly determines the appropriate session length for a therapy animal to prevent fatigue-related safety risks?

Accepted Answer

The individual animal's demonstrated stress threshold and recovery needs

Answer

Each animal has an individual stress threshold; exceeding it increases unpredictable behavior that can endanger clients.

Question 3

A client with an open skin wound wants to hold a therapy rabbit. The handler should:

Accepted Answer

Consult nursing staff and ensure wound is covered before any animal contact

Answer

Open wounds create a portal of entry for zoonotic pathogens; nursing staff must assess and cover the wound before animal contact is permitted.

Question 4

What is the recommended action if a therapy animal exhibits sudden uncharacteristic aggression during a session it has previously performed well in?

Accepted Answer

Remove the animal, end the session, and schedule a veterinary evaluation

Answer

Uncharacteristic aggression may signal pain or illness; a veterinary evaluation is necessary before the animal returns to service.

Question 5

Which client population requires the handler to verify animal parasite prevention is current BEFORE every visit?

Accepted Answer

Pediatric oncology patients

Answer

Pediatric oncology patients are severely immunocompromised, making parasite transmission—even from a single visit—a serious infectious risk.

(AAT) Certified Animal-Assisted Therapy Practice Test