Handlers and their animals, who have met specific criteria, work alongside an appropriate health care professional to provide participants with opportunities to achieve specific therapeutic goals. Activities such as grooming the animal with a brush, throwing or kicking a ball to the animal, fastening a leash to a collar and taking the animal for a walk might be used. The participants' progress is documented by the health care professional. AAT seeks to increase participants' abilities. Policies and Procedures detail program goals, client selection criteria, animal selection criteria and address infection control and risk management concerns.
Standards based programs respect the abilities and limitations of both participants and animals.