Standard Occupational Classification (SOC): Animal Trainers

Animal trainers in healthcare typically work with therapy animals to provide emotional and physical support for patients, particularly those with mental health or physical conditions. These trainers are responsible for selecting, training, and maintaining the animals used in therapy programs. They also work with healthcare professionals to ensure that the animals are used in a safe and effective manner and to evaluate the program’s effectiveness.

Some examples of how animals trainers in healthcare may be used include:

Training therapy dogs or other animals to provide emotional support to patients in hospitals, long-term care facilities, or other medical settings

Assessing patients to determine if therapy animals would be beneficial for them and determining the appropriate animal to be used.

Developing and implementing training programs for therapy animals

Coordinating with healthcare professionals to ensure that therapy animals are used appropriately and safely

Monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of therapy animal programs

Providing education and training to patients, families, and healthcare staff on how to interact with therapy animals

Overall, animal trainers in healthcare play an important role in providing emotional support and improving the well-being of patients through the use of therapy animals. They are essential in ensuring that therapy animals are used in a safe and effective manner, and that their benefits are maximized for the patients.