French handlers' perspectives on Animal-Assisted Interventions

Background: Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI) are well implemented in human healthcare, in France as elsewhere; yet there are still difficulties in characterizing these practices and misconceptions about their mechanisms - little is known about the French practice of AAI and about the human-animal team. Objectives: This study aims to characterize AAI by exploring their specificities through French handlers' perspectives. Material and method: An online survey addressed to French handlers working in AAI with mainly one dog was carried out. This research included questions about their practice in AAI (registration status, beneficiaries, and animals) and their background (training in AAI, training in the medico-social field, training in animal behavior). We then examined a phenomenological understanding of handlers' definitions of their practice in AAI, their motivations to work with these approaches, and the expectations of the human-animal team. We used an open coding strategy and created major themes from their answers. Results: 111 handlers participated in this study. The quantitative data highlighted a heterogeneity of handlers' profiles and professional backgrounds, although most profiles had previous training in healthcare. Five themes characterizing AAI emerged from the qualitative analysis: (1) AAI as additional approaches to care settings, (2) AAI as person-centered approaches, (3) the complementarity between handlers and their animal(s), (4) the shared role of mediator, and (5) handlers' beliefs about the human-animal relationship related to their personal experiences. This survey allowed us to understand how the French use AAI and its role in the care system. Conclusion: The benefits of AAI are numerous both for care settings and for the caregivers mainly by making the care more humane. AAI seem to put the wellbeing of beneficiaries and the relationship with the caregiver at the center of the care. The complementarity of the human-animal team is the common feature of these practices and is critical to their success. Future interdisciplinary studies are required to explore the particularities of these interspecific approaches and the differences between countries.