Module 3 – Animal First Aid and Emergency Care

Medical emergencies, accidents and natural disasters can occur without warning, placing both assistance animals and their handlers at significant risk. Occupational therapists working in the assistance animal sector must be able to recognise when an animal requires urgent veterinary attention, understand their own professional scope of practice, and support handlers to prepare for emergencies before they occur. Effective emergency planning not only protects animal welfare but also helps maintain the assistance animal partnership, reducing disruption to the handler’s independence, safety and participation in everyday life.

This module introduces the principles of animal first aid and emergency preparedness within the occupational therapy context. Rather than training occupational therapists to become veterinary professionals, the focus is on recognising emergencies, responding appropriately within professional scope, facilitating timely referral to veterinary services and supporting handlers to implement practical emergency plans. Learners will explore common medical and traumatic emergencies, environmental hazards, disaster preparedness, evacuation planning and recovery following emergencies, while recognising the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration with veterinarians, emergency responders and other animal professionals.

A strong emphasis is placed on prevention and preparedness. Learners will develop strategies for creating emergency evacuation plans, assembling emergency kits, maintaining essential documentation and preparing assistance animal teams for emergencies through cooperative care and low-stress training. The module also examines species-specific planning considerations, transport-related emergency limitations, disaster recovery and the occupational therapist’s role in promoting resilience, continuity of occupational participation and animal welfare before, during and after emergency situations.

Important Prerequisite

This module assumes learners have already completed an accredited Animal First Aid qualification (e.g., ACMGEN309 Provide Animal First Aid or an equivalent recognised course) prior to enrolment. The purpose of this module is not to teach animal first aid from the beginning, but to reinforce and contextualise emergency preparedness and first aid principles within occupational therapy practice and the assistance animal sector.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this module, learners will be able to:

• Explain the principles of animal first aid and emergency response within the occupational therapist’s scope of practice.
• Recognise common medical, traumatic and environmental emergencies affecting assistance animals and identify situations requiring urgent veterinary intervention.
• Apply appropriate immediate responses while maintaining personal safety and working within professional boundaries.
• Collaborate effectively with veterinarians, emergency responders and other professionals during animal emergencies.
• Develop comprehensive emergency preparedness and disaster plans for assistance animal teams.
• Prepare emergency evacuation kits, treatment authorisations and essential documentation for both handlers and assistance animals.
• Explain transport-related emergency limitations and appropriate responses during emergencies involving buildings, aircraft, ships and other transport environments.
• Apply cooperative care principles to prepare assistance animals for emergency handling, transport, evacuation and veterinary treatment.
• Develop species-specific emergency preparedness strategies for dogs, miniature horses, parrots and other assistance animal species.
• Support handlers to minimise disruption to occupational participation during and following emergencies through proactive planning and coordinated recovery.
• Promote animal welfare, handler safety and continuity of the assistance animal partnership before, during and after emergency situations.