Animal Care
Therapy Animal Visits Risk Assessment Template
The complete guide to creating professional risk assessments for therapy animal visit programs.
Free to use Instant PDF download Updated February 2026
The essential guide to therapy animal visit safety
Therapy animal visits bring trained animals to hospitals, schools, care homes, and other facilities to provide comfort and support. These programs require careful management to protect both vulnerable participants and the welfare of the therapy animals.
This guide covers all key hazards—from allergic reactions and animal bites to infection control and participant safety in various care settings.
Animal Welfare
Animal Welfare
Activity Benefits
Why therapy animal visits matter
Emotional Support
Provides emotional support to individuals in hospitals, schools, and care facilities.
Stress Reduction
Reduces stress and anxiety through comforting interactions with therapy animals.
Social Engagement
Enhances social engagement and communication in therapeutic settings.
Well-being
Promotes emotional well-being by reducing depression and improving mood.
Risk Identification
Key hazards & control measures
Allergic ReactionsHigh Risk
Potential Harm
Respiratory issues, skin irritation, anaphylaxis from animal dander allergies.
Control Measures
- Allergy screening before visits
- Animals groomed before visits
- Opt-out available for participants
- Antihistamines available
Animal BitesMedium Risk
Potential Harm
Injury, infection, distress from bites or scratches during interactions.
Control Measures
- Animals temperament tested
- Handler present at all times
- Appropriate interaction guidance
- First aid immediately available
Infection RiskMedium Risk
Potential Harm
Disease transmission between animals and immunocompromised participants.
Control Measures
- Animal health certificates current
- Hand hygiene before/after
- Animals bathed before visits
- Facility protocols followed
Animal FatigueMedium Risk
Potential Harm
Exhaustion, stress, reduced effectiveness from over-worked therapy animals.
Control Measures
- Visit duration limited
- Rest breaks provided
- Stress signals recognized
- Animal welfare prioritized
This guide covers the most common hazards. Our risk assessment wizard includes 29 hazards and 67+ control measures for Therapy Animal Visits, sourced from industry guidance — create your assessment in minutes.
Safety Checklist
Therapy animal visit checklist
Pre-Visit
- Facility allergy info obtained
- Animal health check completed
- Insurance documentation valid
- Consent forms signed
Animal Welfare
- Animal groomed and clean
- Vaccinations current
- Temperament appropriate
- Adequate rest given
During Visit
- Handler supervising at all times
- Gentle interaction encouraged
- Rest breaks provided
- Stress signals monitored
Emergency
- First aid kit available
- Emergency contacts known
- Incident reporting procedure known
- Exit route clear
Ready to create your therapy animal visits risk assessment?
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