The impact of Covid-19 on animal-assisted interventions: perceptions of UK animal-assisted intervention providers

Background Animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) are increasingly common in UK health settings. The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted on their delivery, with many organizations offering AAIs virtually during lockdown periods. This small-scale survey aims to explore the impact of Covid-19 on the delivery of AAIs, and associated challenges and opportunities. Methods A cross-sectional, retrospective questionnaire survey was conducted with UK AAI providers. The anonymized survey was distributed via academic and third sector networks and social media. Descriptive statistics and free-text responses are presented. Results Thirty-six AAI providers completed the survey. Of these, 83.3% continued to deliver AAIs during the pandemic. Twenty-eight delivered AAIs remotely and highlighted associated challenges, such as clients being unable to touch the animal, and clients having restricted access to the required technology. Over half reported their animal missed face-to-face interaction. However, they also reported advantages to remote delivery, such as for those who are allergic or fearful of animals. The most commonly reported challenges of in situ delivery included difficulty maintaining distance from the client and the use of face masks, which were perceived to hinder communication. Conclusion The transition to remote delivery has highlighted challenges and opportunities. Further research could explore these in greater depth and compare the impact of different delivery modes.