Occupational justice is a core concept within contemporary occupational therapy and recognises that all people have the right to participate in meaningful occupations that contribute to health, wellbeing, identity and quality of life.

Within assistance animal practice, occupational justice provides an important framework for understanding why assistance animals may be valuable supports for some people with disability. It shifts the focus away from simply reducing impairment and towards examining whether individuals have equitable opportunities to participate in the activities and roles that matter to them.

An occupational justice perspective recognises that disability-related occupational limitations do not occur solely because of a person’s diagnosis or impairment. They often arise through the interaction between:

• individual characteristics;
• environmental barriers;
• social attitudes;
• systemic limitations;
• availability of appropriate supports.

Assistance animals may contribute to occupational justice by reducing specific disability-related barriers and supporting participation. However, they should not be viewed as the solution to broader social inequities or as a replacement for accessible environments and inclusive communities.

What Is Occupational Justice?

Occupational justice refers to the right of all people to engage in meaningful occupations and participate in activities that support health, identity and wellbeing.

Occupation is broader than simply completing tasks.

It includes:

• self-care;
• education;
• employment;
• relationships;
• recreation;
• cultural participation;
• community involvement;
• personal interests and roles.

When people are prevented from participating in meaningful occupations due to disability, discrimination, poverty, inaccessible environments or social exclusion, occupational injustice may occur.

For people with disability, occupational injustice may occur when barriers prevent participation despite the person’s desire and ability to engage.

Occupational Injustice and Disability

Disabled people may experience occupational injustice through multiple pathways.

Examples include:

Occupational Deprivation

Where people are prevented from engaging in occupations over an extended period due to external circumstances.

Examples may include:

• inaccessible education environments;
• lack of workplace adjustments;
• limited transport options.

Occupational Restriction

Where participation opportunities are reduced compared with others.

Examples may include:

• being unable to attend community activities;
• reduced employment opportunities;
• limited social participation.

Occupational Alienation

Where people participate in occupations that lack meaning, choice or personal value.

Examples may include:

• being excluded from decisions about supports;
• receiving interventions focused only on deficits;
• having others determine goals without considering personal priorities.

Occupational Imbalance

Where participation opportunities are uneven or restricted.

Examples may include:

• spending excessive time managing disability-related barriers;
• reduced opportunities for recreation, relationships or personal interests.

Assistance Animals as an Occupational Justice Intervention

Assistance animals may support occupational justice by enabling people to participate in occupations that may otherwise be limited by disability-related barriers.

Examples may include supporting:

• access to education;
• employment participation;
• community involvement;
• independence with daily activities;
• social participation.

However, the occupational justice contribution of an assistance animal depends on whether the animal addresses a genuine participation barrier.

The presence of an assistance animal alone does not guarantee improved occupational justice.

The key question is:

“Does this assistance animal meaningfully increase this person’s opportunity to participate in occupations that are important to them?”

Moving Beyond the Individual Solution

An important principle within occupational justice is recognising that barriers often exist within environments and systems, not only within individuals.

For example:

A person may experience difficulty attending university.

A purely individual approach may ask:

“How can we train the person or animal to manage this?”

An occupational justice approach also asks:

“What barriers exist within the university environment?”

Considerations may include:

• accessibility;
• reasonable adjustments;
• staff understanding;
• physical environment;
• inclusive practices.

An assistance animal may support the individual, but it should not become a substitute for systemic responsibility.

The presence of an assistance animal should not allow organisations or communities to avoid addressing accessibility barriers.

Assistance Animals and the Risk of Individualising Disability

Although assistance animals can provide meaningful support, there is a risk that disability-related barriers become framed as the responsibility of the individual and their animal.

For example:

A person may require an assistance animal because public environments are inaccessible or because social attitudes create barriers.

While the animal may improve participation, the broader responsibility for inclusion remains with society.

Occupational therapists must therefore maintain a balanced perspective:

• assistance animals can empower individuals;
• environments must also become more accessible.

Occupational Justice and Choice in Assistance Animal Practice

A human rights and occupational justice approach recognises that people should have meaningful choice regarding supports.

This includes respecting that individuals may value assistance animals for different reasons, including:

• independence;
• participation;
• confidence;
• identity;
• connection.

However, person-centred practice does not mean approving every requested intervention.

Occupational therapists must balance:

• autonomy;
• informed decision-making;
• evidence;
• professional responsibility;
• animal welfare.

A person has the right to be involved in decisions about their supports, but professionals also have a responsibility to ensure recommendations are appropriate and sustainable.

Assistance Animals Do Not Replace Universal Accessibility

An important occupational justice principle is that individual supports should exist alongside broader accessibility improvements.

For example:

An assistance dog may help a person navigate a workplace.

However, occupational justice also requires workplaces to consider:

• inclusive policies;
• reasonable adjustments;
• accessible communication;
• supportive cultures.

Similarly, an assistance animal may support community participation, but communities still have responsibility to reduce barriers.

The goal is not to make disabled people adapt endlessly to inaccessible environments.

The goal is meaningful inclusion.

The Occupational Therapist’s Role in Promoting Occupational Justice

Occupational therapists contribute to occupational justice by:

• identifying participation barriers;
• advocating for accessibility;
• supporting informed choice;
• recommending appropriate interventions;
• challenging assumptions about disability;
• recognising strengths and capabilities.

Within assistance animal practice, the occupational therapist helps ensure the animal is considered as part of a broader participation strategy rather than as an isolated solution.

Applying Occupational Justice to Assistance Animal Recommendations

An occupational justice-informed assessment considers:

What occupation is the person being prevented from accessing?

The focus remains on meaningful participation.

What barriers are contributing to this restriction?

This may include:

• impairment;
• environment;
• social attitudes;
• systems.

Could an assistance animal reduce this barrier?

The occupational therapist considers whether the animal has a meaningful role.

What additional changes are required?

The occupational therapist considers broader supports and environmental changes.

Examples of Occupational Justice Reasoning

Example 1: Community Participation

A person experiences difficulty accessing community spaces due to disability-related barriers.

A task-focused approach may ask:

“Can the dog perform calming tasks?”

An occupational justice approach asks:

“What prevents this person from participating in community life, and how might an assistance animal contribute alongside other supports?”

Example 2: Employment

A person wants to return to work but experiences disability-related barriers.

An assistance animal may contribute to participation, but occupational therapy reasoning also considers:

• workplace accessibility;
• employer responsibilities;
• reasonable adjustments;
• inclusive practices.

Key Practice Principles

1. Assistance Animals Should Support Participation, Not Just Reduce Symptoms

The purpose of an assistance animal is meaningful occupational engagement.

2. Disability Barriers Often Exist Beyond the Individual

Occupational therapists must consider environmental and systemic barriers.

3. An Assistance Animal Is One Part of an Accessibility Approach

Animals should complement, not replace, inclusive environments and reasonable adjustments.

4. Focus on What People Want and Need to Do

Occupational goals should guide assistance animal recommendations.

5. Respect Autonomy While Maintaining Professional Responsibility

Person-centred practice requires both choice and ethical reasoning.

6. Promote Inclusion Rather Than Individual Adaptation Alone

Disabled people should not carry sole responsibility for overcoming inaccessible systems.

Occupational justice provides an essential lens for assistance animal practice by ensuring recommendations focus on meaningful participation, inclusion and equity. An assistance animal should not be viewed as a solution to disability itself, but as one possible support that may help reduce barriers and enable people to engage in the occupations, roles and communities that are meaningful to them.

Spotlight 4 – The Assistance Animal as a Living Intervention Partner
Placement: Topic 1.1 – Occupational Therapy Models.