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Austrian and American approaches to animal-based health care services

2006; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 19; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.2752/089279306785415484

1753-0377

D.K. Haubenhofer, Sylvia Kirchengast,

Geographies of human-animal interactions

Animal-based health care services in Austria originate from models used in the New World. This study compares the main organizations in the USA and Austria, Delta Society and Tiere als Therapie. It investigates how the original American animal-based health care models of animal-assisted activities and animal-assisted therapy have been adopted to suit local and cultural conditions in Austria. Information was gathered from the organizations' homepages and other public information. This paper discusses similarities and differences in definitions, training courses, final examinations, and continuing screening prescribed by Delta Society and Tiere als Therapie. We do not favor any one organizational model, because both are bound to their country-specific conditions.