Ethical and Welfare-Informed Practice

Ethical and Welfare-Informed Practice

Animal assisted coaching should be grounded in respect for both human and animal participants. Ethical practice requires attention to the wellbeing, safety, dignity and autonomy of clients, practitioners and animals.

Animals involved in coaching-related work should never be treated merely as tools or techniques. Their welfare, comfort and behavioural signals need to be carefully considered. Practitioners should be alert to signs of stress, fatigue, avoidance, overstimulation or discomfort in animals and should be willing to pause, adapt or stop an activity where necessary.

Ethical animal assisted coaching also involves clear contracting with clients, informed consent, appropriate boundaries, confidentiality, risk awareness and clarity about the practitioner’s competence and scope of practice.

Members of the Network are encouraged to develop their knowledge of animal behaviour, welfare, safeguarding, professional ethics, cultural sensitivity, accessibility and trauma-informed practice. Where appropriate, practitioners should also liaise with suitably qualified animal behaviour, veterinary or welfare professionals.

Good practice in this field depends on a simple principle: the coaching process should not benefit the client at the expense of the animal.