Occupational therapy is a profession centred on supporting people to participate in meaningful occupations. Within assistance animal practice, occupational therapy models provide a framework for understanding the complex interaction between the person, their abilities, their environment, their goals and the potential role of an assistance animal.

An assistance animal should never be considered in isolation from the person’s broader life context. The presence of a disability does not automatically indicate that an assistance animal is appropriate. Instead, occupational therapists use models of practice to explore how disability affects participation, what barriers exist, what outcomes matter to the person and whether an assistance animal may be an effective intervention.

Occupational therapy models assist practitioners to move away from a deficit-focused approach, where the focus is only on what a person cannot do, towards a participation-focused approach that considers:

• what the person wants and needs to do;
• what environments they participate in;
• what strengths and abilities they have;
• what barriers prevent participation;
• what supports may enable meaningful occupational engagement.

Why Occupational Therapy Models Matter in Assistance Animal Practice

Assistance animals are complex interventions because they involve the interaction of:

• a person with disability;
• a living animal;
• specific occupations;
• physical and social environments;
• trained behaviours and tasks.

A task that appears beneficial in isolation may not result in meaningful improvement if it does not address a genuine occupational barrier.

For example:

A dog may be trained to retrieve objects.

However, the important occupational question is not:

“Can the dog retrieve?”

The question is:

“Does retrieving objects enable this person to participate more independently in meaningful activities?”

The same trained behaviour may be valuable for one person but unnecessary or ineffective for another depending on their goals, environment and circumstances.

The Person–Environment–Occupation (PEO) Model

The Person–Environment–Occupation (PEO) model is particularly relevant to assistance animal practice because it considers occupational performance as the result of the interaction between:

• the person;
• the environment;
• the occupation.

Occupational performance improves when there is a good fit between these components.

Within assistance animal practice, the animal can be considered as an additional element that influences the relationship between the person, environment and occupation.

Person

The person component considers the individual’s unique characteristics, including:

• abilities;
• strengths;
• values;
• preferences;
• experiences;
• health conditions;
• disability impacts;
• motivations;
• goals.

In assistance animal practice, this includes understanding:

• why the person is considering an assistance animal;
• what challenges they experience;
• what outcomes they hope to achieve;
• what responsibilities they can reasonably undertake.

A person-centred approach recognises that the individual is the expert in their own lived experience.

The occupational therapist’s role is not to decide what the person should want, but to support informed decision-making.

Environment

The environment includes all external factors that influence occupational participation.

This may include:

Physical Environment

Examples:

• home layout;
• workplace;
• school or university;
• transport;
• community spaces.

The environment affects whether an assistance animal can realistically perform its role.

For example:

A large mobility assistance dog may be highly trained, but may not be suitable for a person living in a small apartment where the animal cannot comfortably move or rest.

Social Environment

This includes:

• family;
• friends;
• employers;
• educators;
• support workers;
• community members.

The social environment can influence success through:

• acceptance;
• understanding;
• practical support;
• expectations.

Attitudes and Systems

The environment also includes:

• policies;
• accessibility;
• discrimination;
• public understanding;
• legal protections.

An assistance animal partnership does not exist only between a person and an animal. It exists within society.

Occupation

Occupation refers to the meaningful activities people need, want or are expected to do.

Occupations may include:

• personal care;
• education;
• employment;
• household tasks;
• relationships;
• recreation;
• community participation.

In assistance animal practice, the focus should always return to occupation.

The purpose of an assistance animal is not simply for the animal to perform behaviours.

The purpose is to enable participation.

Example Using the PEO Model

Situation:

A person experiences anxiety when attending medical appointments.

Person:

• experiences distress in unfamiliar environments;
• wants greater independence accessing healthcare.

Environment:

• busy waiting rooms;
• unfamiliar people;
• unpredictable situations.

Occupation:

• attending necessary healthcare appointments.

Assistance Animal Role:

A trained assistance animal may support participation through specific disability-mitigating tasks.

The recommendation is based on the interaction between the person, environment and occupation — not simply the diagnosis.

The Person–Environment–Occupation–Animal (PEOA) Framework

Because assistance animals are unique interventions involving a living partner, the traditional PEO model can be expanded to consider the animal component.

The Person–Environment–Occupation–Animal (PEOA) framework highlights that successful assistance animal partnerships depend on the interaction between:

• the person;
• the environment;
• the occupation;
• the animal.

The animal is not a piece of equipment.

The animal has:

• physical abilities;
• temperament;
• preferences;
• needs;
• limitations;
• welfare requirements.

The Animal as a Partner

A key difference between assistance animals and many other assistive technologies is that the intervention is a living relationship.

A wheelchair does not experience fatigue.

A communication device does not experience stress.

An assistance animal does.

Therefore, occupational therapists must consider:

• whether the animal is suited to the role;
• whether the workload is appropriate;
• whether the partnership is sustainable;
• whether the animal’s welfare is protected.

The Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and Engagement (CMOP-E)

The CMOP-E model highlights the relationship between:

• person;
• occupation;
• environment.

It places particular emphasis on:

• spirituality;
• values;
• meaning;
• engagement.

This is relevant in assistance animal practice because many people describe their assistance animal partnership as deeply meaningful.

However, emotional connection alone does not determine whether an assistance animal is appropriate.

The professional question remains:

“Does this partnership support meaningful occupational participation?”

Occupational Justice and Assistance Animals

Occupational justice considers whether people have opportunities to participate in meaningful occupations.

People with disability may experience barriers due to:

• inaccessible environments;
• discrimination;
• lack of supports;
• social exclusion.

Assistance animals may contribute to occupational justice by supporting access and participation.

However, professionals must also recognise broader systemic barriers.

An assistance animal should not be viewed as the solution to inaccessible environments or discrimination.

The responsibility for inclusion remains with society.

Applying Occupational Models to Clinical Reasoning

Occupational therapy models help answer key questions:

What does the person want to do?

Identifying meaningful occupations.

What prevents participation?

Understanding disability-related barriers.

Could an assistance animal address this barrier?

Considering intervention suitability.

What would success look like?

Defining meaningful outcomes.

Is the intervention sustainable?

Considering both person and animal welfare.

Key Point

Occupational therapy models provide the foundation for ethical assistance animal recommendations.

They ensure the starting point is not:

“What tasks can a dog perform?”

but:

“What does this person need and want to do, what barriers affect participation, and could an assistance animal meaningfully support their occupational goals?”

The role of the occupational therapist is to connect the person’s life, goals and environment with an appropriate intervention — ensuring the assistance animal partnership is meaningful, sustainable and welfare-focused.