Module 2 – Assessing Assistance Animal Prospects

Selecting an assistance animal requires more than identifying desirable traits or relying on intuition. Once suitable selection principles have been established, professionals must systematically evaluate whether an individual animal possesses the physical, behavioural and cognitive characteristics required to safely and ethically perform the intended assistance role. This process involves gathering objective information from multiple sources, interpreting assessment findings within the context of the client’s occupational needs and making evidence-informed decisions that prioritise both client outcomes and animal welfare.

No single assessment can determine whether an animal is suitable for assistance work. Behaviour varies across environments, developmental stages and experiences, while health and physical capabilities may change over time. Consequently, assistance animal selection should be viewed as an ongoing process rather than a single event. Comprehensive prospect assessment combines veterinary findings, behavioural observations, temperament evaluation, environmental exposure, functional assessment and interdisciplinary clinical judgement to build a complete understanding of the individual animal.

This module examines the principles and methods used to assess assistance animal prospects before they enter formal training. Learners will explore developmental considerations, behavioural and temperament assessment, environmental and task-specific evaluation, and the interpretation of assessment findings. The module also examines the strengths and limitations of commonly used assessment methods and highlights the importance of repeated observations across multiple contexts.

By the end of this module, learners will understand how to conduct systematic, evidence-informed prospect assessments that support ethical selection decisions, minimise welfare risks and improve the likelihood of successful long-term assistance animal partnerships.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, you should be able to:

• Explain the principles and purpose of comprehensive assistance animal prospect assessment.
• Describe the roles and responsibilities of members of the interdisciplinary team during prospect assessment and selection.
• Conduct systematic, evidence-informed assessments of assistance animal prospects across multiple settings and developmental stages.
• Evaluate an animal’s physical health, medical suitability and fitness for assistance work using information provided by veterinary and allied animal health professionals.
• Assess temperament, behaviour, motivation, resilience and environmental suitability using objective, welfare-focused assessment methods.
• Interpret assessment findings within the context of the client’s occupational goals, anticipated environments and future life changes.
• Differentiate between temporary and permanent factors that may influence an animal’s suitability for assistance work.
• Recognise indicators that support acceptance into training, continued monitoring, career redirection or exclusion from an assistance animal program.
• Apply ethical, welfare-first and evidence-informed principles when making assistance animal selection recommendations.
• Accurately document, communicate and justify prospect assessment findings using a structured interdisciplinary approach.