As part of your AAOT Foundation Learning, you have been asked to complete external learning in manual handling and safe lifting.

Occupational Therapists already bring substantial knowledge of function, movement, environmental risk and occupational safety. We have included this additional learning because assistance-animal practice introduces a particular complication: the thing being moved is a living animal.

An animal may suddenly:

• become injured or collapse;
• be unable to stand or walk;
• panic or struggle;
• bite or scratch because of pain or fear;
• become trapped;
• need to be moved away from immediate danger; or
• require assistance into a vehicle or veterinary facility.

Routine handling also occurs throughout an assistance animal’s working life. Depending on the species and individual animal, handlers and professionals may need to assist with vehicles, grooming, veterinary treatment, equipment, positioning, rehabilitation or mobility.

The principles from your external manual-handling study therefore need to be applied alongside animal behaviour, animal welfare, human safety and emergency decision-making.

The objective is not to teach AAOTs to become veterinary emergency professionals. It is to help you recognise risks, plan safer ways of working and understand that sometimes the safest decision is not to lift an animal yourself.

Manual Handling Is More Than Lifting

Manual handling can include:

• lifting;
• lowering;
• carrying;
• pushing;
• pulling;
• holding;
• restraining;
• supporting;
• repositioning; and
• moving equipment or other loads.

In assistance-animal practice, this might involve:

• helping a dog into or out of a vehicle;
• supporting an older or injured animal;
• moving crates or equipment;
• handling food or supplies;
• positioning mobility or working equipment;
• assisting during veterinary care;
• helping an animal following a fall or injury; or
• responding to an emergency.

Risk can arise from the person, animal, task and environment together.

Animals Are Not Inanimate Loads

A manual-handling technique suitable for moving a box cannot simply be transferred to moving a dog.

Animals:

• move unpredictably;
• experience pain;
• become frightened;
• have individual anatomy and physical limitations;
• may resist handling;
• may attempt to escape;
• can bite, scratch or kick;
• may deteriorate medically while being moved; and
• can be injured by inappropriate handling.

Even a normally calm assistance animal may behave very differently when frightened or in severe pain.

This means the first question should not automatically be:

“How do I lift this animal?”

Instead ask:

“Does this animal need to be moved, is it safe to move them, and what is the safest available way of doing so?”

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Assess Before You Move

Where circumstances permit, briefly assess the situation before attempting manual handling.

Consider:

The animal

• What species and size is the animal?
• Is it conscious?
• Can it stand?
• Is it in pain?
• Is there an obvious injury?
• Could spinal or other serious injury be present?
• Is it frightened or distressed?
• Could it bite, scratch or kick?
• Can it assist with its own movement?

The person

• Can you safely manage the animal’s weight?
• Do you have an injury, disability or other limitation affecting the task?
• Is another person available to assist?
• Do you know how to use the available equipment?
• Would attempting the movement place you or somebody else at unreasonable risk?

The environment

• Is there traffic?
• Fire?
• Water?
• Heat?
• Stairs?
• Uneven or slippery ground?
• Confined space?
• Other animals?
• Moving machinery?
• Another immediate hazard?

The task

• Does the animal actually need to be moved?
• How far?
• How urgently?
• Where are you moving them?
• Is appropriate equipment available?
• Can professional assistance come to the animal instead?

Sometimes the best manual-handling decision is not to manually handle at all.

Emergency Movement Is Different From Routine Handling

In routine circumstances, there is usually time to:

• plan;
• obtain appropriate equipment;
• seek assistance;
• modify the environment; and
• avoid unnecessary risk.

Emergencies can be different.

Imagine a dog has been struck by a reversing vehicle and remains in a dangerous location.

Leaving the dog exactly where it is may expose it to further injury. Moving it may also worsen an existing injury.

There may be no perfect option.

Professional reasoning involves balancing:

the risk of moving the animal

against

the risk of leaving the animal where it is.

Where possible, veterinary advice should be sought. In an immediate danger, however, action may sometimes be necessary before ideal assistance is available.

The aim is to make the safest reasonable decision available in the circumstances, rather than pretending every emergency will provide ideal conditions.

Pain Can Change Behaviour

A critical safety principle is:

Any animal in pain may behave differently from normal.

A highly trained, gentle assistance dog may:

• growl;
• snap;
• bite;
• struggle;
• vocalise;
• panic; or
• attempt to escape

when frightened or injured.

This does not necessarily mean the animal has suddenly developed a behavioural problem.

Pain and fear affect behaviour.

Do not rely solely upon:

“He would never bite me.”

Assess the animal you have in front of you at that moment.

If at all possible, fit a muzzle before moving an injured animal.

Restraint Must Be Proportionate and Safe

Sometimes an injured animal may require temporary restraint to allow safe movement or treatment.

However, restraint itself carries risks.

Inappropriate restraint may:

• increase fear;
• compromise breathing;
• worsen an injury;
• increase struggling;
• cause additional injury; or
• place handlers at greater risk.

Equipment should only be used when appropriate and by someone who understands its purpose and limitations.

For example, a muzzle may be useful in some circumstances but inappropriate in others, particularly where an animal is vomiting, experiencing respiratory difficulty or has certain facial injuries.

When uncertain, seek veterinary advice.

Avoid the “Just Pick Them Up” Response

Smaller animals are often lifted automatically.

Size does not make lifting risk-free.

Poor lifting or handling may:

• worsen spinal or orthopaedic injuries;
• cause pain;
• result in dropping the animal;
• injure the handler;
• trigger defensive behaviour; or
• compromise an animal’s breathing or circulation.

Likewise, a large dog should not simply be treated as a heavy object that requires more strength.

Technique, equipment, assistance and the animal’s medical condition matter.

Use Equipment Where Appropriate

Depending upon the circumstances, safer movement may involve equipment such as:

• animal stretchers;
• blankets used appropriately for transfer;
• mobility slings;
• ramps;
• harnesses;
• crates or carriers;
• trolleys;
• non-slip surfaces; or
• other purpose-designed equipment.

The existence of equipment does not mean it is automatically appropriate.

Users should understand:

• what the equipment is designed for;
• how it is fitted;
• its weight or size limitations;
• how it affects the animal;
• whether multiple people are required; and
• when it should not be used.

This also applies for routine tasks such as placing the animal into a vehicle. Animals should be provided steps or ramps of appropriate angle where at all possible to avoid repetitive strain on human and animal joints.

Consider Manual Handling Before an Emergency Happens

Emergency planning should occur before the emergency wherever possible.

This is particularly important where an assistance animal is:

• large;
• ageing;
• mobility impaired;
• recovering from injury;
• working with a handler who cannot independently lift it; or
• regularly travelling away from home.

Ask:

If this animal suddenly could not walk, how would we move them?

That question may identify the need for:

• a suitable sling;
• ramp;
• stretcher;
• another person;
• accessible transport;
• an emergency veterinary plan; or
• specific support-worker procedures.

A handler does not need to be physically capable of independently lifting their assistance animal to be a suitable handler.

What matters is whether there is a realistic plan for meeting the animal’s needs.

Disability and Manual Handling

This distinction is especially important within AAOT.

Do not create an arbitrary eligibility requirement such as:

“You must be able to lift your dog.”

Many people without disability could not safely lift a 30–40 kg dog either.

Instead ask:

“How would this person’s animal be safely managed if physical assistance were required?”

The answer might involve:

• another household member;
• a support worker;
• equipment;
• veterinary assistance;
• an emergency service;
• accessible transport; or
• an established contingency plan.

Good assessment evaluates systems and supports, rather than assuming independence means physically doing everything alone.

Assistance-Animal Tasks Can Create Manual-Handling Risks

The tasks performed by an assistance animal should also be considered.

For example, an animal may:

• retrieve objects;
• open or close something;
• assist with clothing;
• carry items;
• interact with mobility equipment;
• provide physical contact;
• perform positioning-related tasks; or
• assist during transfers or other activities.

The fact that a task can be trained does not automatically mean it is safe.

Consider the biomechanics and risks to both person and animal.

Repeated tasks involving excessive:

• pulling;
• weight-bearing;
• twisting;
• jumping;
• impact;
• awkward positioning; or
• physical loading

may create cumulative welfare problems for the animal.

Task design should therefore consider not only whether the animal can perform the behaviour, but whether it is reasonable and sustainable for the animal to do so.

Do Not Use the Animal as Mobility Equipment Without Careful Assessment

Particular caution is required where someone proposes using an animal for substantial physical support.

Statements such as:

“The dog helps me stand up.”

or

“I put my weight through the dog when I lose balance.”

require further investigation.

A dog must not ever place any amount of weight upon an animal until the animal has a suitable medical clearance and has been trained to weight bare safely.

Consider:

• how much force is involved;
• frequency;
• direction of loading;
• the person’s weight and movement;
• the animal’s size and structure;
• equipment;
• veterinary health;
• musculoskeletal implications;
• alternative assistive technology; and
• whether specialist veterinary, rehabilitation or other professional advice is required.

An assistance animal is a living being, not a walking frame.

Manual Handling Includes Equipment

AAOT practice may involve equipment associated with the animal, including:

• crates;
• food;
• ramps;
• harnesses;
• mobility equipment;
• veterinary supplies;
• training equipment;
• bedding; and
• transport equipment.

These can themselves create manual-handling risks.

Good environmental assessment considers the entire assistance-animal setup, not simply the animal.

Consider the Handler–Animal Combination

A task that is straightforward for one team may be unsafe for another.

Relevant factors may include:

• handler height;
• reach;
• balance;
• strength;
• mobility;
• fatigue;
• pain;
• dexterity;
• wheelchair or mobility-aid use;
• animal size;
• animal behaviour;
• equipment design; and
• the environment.

This is one reason generic rules are often inadequate.

The goal is to design a system that works for the individual handler–animal team.

An Emergency May Involve an Animal That Is Not the Assistance Animal

The safeguarding principle from the previous topic applies here too.

You might encounter:

• another dog injured during a home visit;
• a companion cat trapped or injured;
• livestock in difficulty;
• an animal involved in a road incident; or
• another animal requiring urgent assistance.

Your professional role does not automatically make you responsible for physically rescuing every animal you encounter.

Before acting, consider:

• your competence;
• personal safety;
• animal behaviour;
• environmental hazards;
• available assistance; and
• whether emergency, veterinary or animal-management professionals are better placed to intervene.

Helping should not mean creating another casualty.

When the Environment Creates the Emergency

Sometimes the greatest risk comes from the environment rather than the animal’s injury.

For example, imagine a dog has attempted to jump a fence and is left suspended by its collar.

There are several simultaneous risks:

• airway compromise;
• neck injury;
• panic;
• defensive biting;
• injury from falling;
• injury to the person attempting rescue; and
• delay while deciding what to do.

Simply pulling the dog upwards, pulling on the collar, or releasing the collar without supporting the animal may create additional harm.

This type of situation demonstrates why manual handling requires situational reasoning rather than memorised lifting rules.

Ask:

What is creating the immediate danger?

What needs to be supported?

What could happen when the restraint is released?

Can another person help?

What professional assistance is available?

The safest response depends upon the actual circumstances.

Know When Veterinary Input Is Required

Manual handling should not become amateur veterinary treatment.

Following injury, collapse or another medical emergency, veterinary assessment may be necessary even where the animal appears to recover.

Veterinary professionals can also advise about safe transport.

Where possible, contact the veterinary clinic before arrival so staff can:

• provide immediate advice;
• prepare appropriate equipment;
• advise where to bring the animal;
• and be ready to receive the patient.

As discussed in your animal first-aid learning, knowing the location and contact details of your regular veterinarian and nearest emergency veterinary service should form part of emergency preparedness.

Human Injury Matters Too

An emergency involving an animal may also result in injury to the handler, OT, support worker or another person.

Do not become so focused on the animal that human safety is ignored.

Manual-handling incidents can cause:

• back injuries;
• strains;
• falls;
• crush injuries;
• bites;
• scratches; and
• other injuries.

Where both human and animal emergencies exist, appropriate emergency services may need to be involved.

Plan for Transport

A surprisingly important question is:

How would this animal get to a veterinarian if it could not walk?

Consider:

• vehicle access;
• lifting height;
• ramps;
• available space;
• crates;
• stretchers;
• number of people required;
• the handler’s physical capacity;
• support-worker availability; and
• what happens outside normal veterinary hours.

For some teams, this should be incorporated into the animal’s emergency plan.

Animal Welfare and Manual Handling

Manual handling should always minimise avoidable:

• pain;
• fear;
• distress;
• injury;
• force; and
• restraint.

However, animal welfare does not necessarily mean never causing temporary discomfort.

An emergency intervention may sometimes involve brief discomfort to prevent substantially greater harm.

The relevant question is whether the intervention is necessary, proportionate, appropriately performed and in the animal’s best interests.

Interdisciplinary Practice

Manual-handling issues may require collaboration with:

• veterinarians;
• veterinary nurses or technicians;
• animal physiotherapists or rehabilitation professionals;
• assistance-animal trainers;
• occupational therapists;
• physiotherapists;
• support workers;
• workplace health and safety professionals;
• equipment suppliers; or
• emergency services.

Recognise when a situation requires expertise beyond your own.

What This Means for an AAOT

Your external manual-handling learning provides general principles. AAOT asks you to apply those principles to the additional complexity created by working with living animals.

Ask:

Does this animal actually need to be moved?

What happens if I leave the animal where it is?

Could movement worsen the injury?

Could pain or fear change the animal’s behaviour?

Can I safely perform this task?

Do I need another person or equipment?

What is the safest way to transport the animal?

Have we planned for what happens if this assistance animal cannot walk?

Does the handler need support rather than being expected to lift the animal independently?

Does a proposed assistance task place unreasonable physical demands on the animal?

Am I treating the animal as though it were equipment rather than a living being?

Do I need veterinary or other specialist advice?

The central principle is:

Safe manual handling in assistance-animal practice protects both people and animals. The objective is not to prove that you can physically manage a situation yourself, but to identify the safest reasonable way of managing it.

Continue This Topic in Your Reflective Workbook

You have now completed the foundation material for:

Topic 13 — Manual Handling and Safe Lifting

Please complete the recommended external Manual Handling and Safe Lifting learning identified in your AAOT Foundation Learning requirements and then refer to the corresponding section of your AAOT Foundation Learning Reflective Workbook.

The workbook asks you to transfer the general manual-handling principles from your external study to situations involving living animals, including an animal injured by a reversing vehicle and an animal suspended by its collar over a fence.

You will consider emergency decision-making, human safety, animal welfare, pain and behaviour, equipment, transport, professional scope, veterinary involvement and circumstances in which moving an animal may itself create additional risk.

You may return to these activities throughout AAOT as your knowledge develops. Your responses may also assist with your Capstone Portfolio, Capstone projects and later integrated case work.

Once you have completed or commenced the corresponding workbook activities, continue to Topic 14 — Understanding Addiction.