ABSTRACT
In selecting a candidate for therapy work, it is not so much about the breed as it is the breeding. A dog bred from a line that has tendencies toward, for example, aggression, fear, hyperactivity, shyness, or oversensitivity increases the chances that it may inherit some of these negative traits and so make it inappropriate for therapy work. A dog that has been rescued or that comes from a shelter can find a new lease on life providing therapy services. Therapy work is most often a second career for a horse. Horses of good temperament and that are still in good health after retiring from their first career are commonly donated to work at equestrian therapy centers. Small therapy animals are considered to be rabbits, pocket pets, birds, and aquarium fish. A counseling setting that incorporates farm animals typically involves a working therapy farm.
