Selecting an assistance animal is not simply about identifying the best match for a person’s current needs. Unlike many forms of assistive technology, assistance animals typically remain with their handler for many years, during which time the handler’s occupations, environments, routines and life circumstances may change considerably. Effective matching therefore requires consideration of both present needs and reasonably anticipated future life changes.

Occupational therapists routinely consider how a person’s occupational roles may evolve across the lifespan. An individual may change careers, relocate, commence tertiary education, enter a relationship, have children, retire, increase community participation or experience changes in health and functional capacity. Each of these transitions has the potential to influence the demands placed upon an assistance animal and the environments in which it will be expected to work.

Although no one can accurately predict every future circumstance, discussing anticipated life goals during the assessment process allows the interdisciplinary team to select an animal that is more likely to adapt successfully to foreseeable changes. This proactive approach promotes continuity of support, reduces the likelihood of welfare concerns and helps maintain a successful partnership over the animal’s working life.

Considering Future Occupational Roles

During assessment, professionals should explore not only the client’s current occupations but also their aspirations and anticipated life changes. Relevant discussion may include:

future employment or career changes
tertiary study
relocation or changes in housing
regular domestic or international travel
increased community participation
pregnancy or plans to start a family
children or grandchildren regularly visiting the home
living with additional pets or assistance animals
changes in support networks
retirement planning
expected changes in health or functional capacity.

These discussions are not intended to eliminate uncertainty but to identify foreseeable circumstances that may influence the suitability of an assistance animal over its expected working career.

Selecting for Adaptability

Future planning is not about selecting a dog that already performs every possible task. Rather, it involves selecting an individual with the temperament, behavioural characteristics and resilience to adapt safely and comfortably to changing environments and occupational demands.

For example, a client who hopes to have children during the dog’s working life may be better matched with a prospect that consistently demonstrates calm, neutral and relaxed behaviour around infants and young children. Selecting a dog that merely tolerates children, becomes easily frustrated by unpredictable movement or prefers limited social interaction may increase stress for both the dog and the family if circumstances change.

Similarly, a client planning to pursue a career involving frequent travel may benefit from an animal that demonstrates confidence using public transport, travelling in vehicles, navigating airports and adapting to unfamiliar accommodation. A client intending to work in schools or healthcare settings may require an animal that remains comfortable around groups of children, mobility equipment, alarms, crowded corridors and frequent interaction with unfamiliar people.

The objective is not to find a dog that enjoys every possible environment, but to select an individual whose characteristics are compatible with the client’s likely future occupations while maintaining the animal’s welfare.

Balancing Predictability with Flexibility

Not every anticipated life change should determine prospect selection. Professionals must distinguish between realistic future plans and highly speculative possibilities. Selection should focus on foreseeable occupational changes that are likely to occur during the animal’s expected working life and that could reasonably influence its welfare or ability to perform its role.

Likewise, professionals should avoid selecting an animal solely because it excels in one narrow environment if it is unlikely to cope comfortably with the broader range of situations the client is expected to encounter. Assistance animals benefit from thoughtful matching that considers flexibility, resilience and adaptability alongside the specific tasks required.

Practice Example

A client applying for an assistance dog lived alone and worked from home. During the occupational assessment, they explained that they intended to qualify as a primary school teacher within the next few years and hoped to start a family. WAFA considered these anticipated life changes during prospect selection. Rather than selecting a dog that simply tolerated children, WAFA matched the client with a prospect that consistently demonstrated calm, neutral behaviour around infants and young children, recovered well from unpredictable movement and noise, travelled confidently in busy public environments and adapted readily to new settings. Several years later, the handler was working in a primary school and had two young children. Because these foreseeable occupational changes had been considered from the outset, the assistance dog transitioned successfully into its expanded role while maintaining excellent welfare, confidence and public access behaviour.

Occupational Therapy Considerations

Occupational therapists are uniquely positioned to contribute to long-term assistance animal matching by considering the client’s future occupational goals alongside their current support needs. Assessment should explore anticipated changes in employment, education, family life, housing, travel and community participation, recognising that these transitions may influence the suitability of an assistance animal over many years. By selecting animals with the behavioural characteristics and adaptability needed to support reasonably foreseeable life changes, occupational therapists help promote sustainable partnerships, minimise the likelihood of future mismatches and uphold the welfare of both the client and the animal.

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