A Critique of Human-Canine Interactions in a Taiwan AAT Program

• Main Authors: Jessica Simonetti, 司馬潔
• Other Authors: Shaowu Jung
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2015
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/j43ebr

碩士 === 國立暨南國際大學 === 人類學研究所 === 103 === In this paper I discuss the current practices of Animal Assisted Therapy in Taiwan from the perspective of one of Taiwan’s major AAT organizations. The initial goal of this research was to examine the ways in which the canine volunteers interact with the human participants involved with the program to better understand the human-canine bond. However, my research revealed that the AAT program I observed in Kaohsiung did not meet the Delta Society’s stringent requirements to be considered AAT. For this reason, the focus of my research shifted to towards the ways in which the organization I worked with did and did not meet these requirements. Although the training for this program is just as rigorous and therapy-based as similar programs in the US, the lack of volunteers, money, and infra-structure makes it difficult to build a true AAT program in Taiwan. A secondary factor may also be related to a general ambivalence regarding dogs, as places like Kaohsiung City have not yet fully embraced canines as full family members. The result of these factors is that the human-canine bond remains superficial during the visitations; while the interactions are positive overall, the canine perspective is largely ignored in favor of providing what is in many cases mostly entertainment.