Expert Center for Animal-Assisted Interventions and Assistance Dogs
Therapiedier vzw supports organizations, professionals, and human–animal teams through advice, training, screening, certification, and quality assurance. We work in a practical and ethical way, with the welfare of both people and animals at the heart of everything we do.
What role does a dog play?
See at a glance how a companion dog, an active therapy animal, an emotional support dog, and an assistance dog differ.
New: Hartwerkers op poten
In this book, Inge Pauwels introduces the world of therapy animals: animals that comfort, reflect, connect, and help people grow. Order your copy today.
Our four pillars
AAI for organizations
Do you want to responsibly implement animal-assisted interventions in a school, care facility, hospital, library, welfare organization, company, office, government agency, or other professional context? We guide you from feasibility analysis and policy development to implementation and follow-up.
Active therapy animals
An active therapy animal and a professionally trained therapy-animal handler form a team. Together they deliver goal-oriented animal-assisted interventions for other people, usually in different locations and always within a clear professional and welfare-focused framework. Therapiedier vzw supports you throughout the full process of education, training, certification, and quality assurance.
Assistance dogs
An assistance dog—also referred to internally as a passive therapy animal—supports one specific person in daily life. The partnership can strengthen independence, structure, social participation, wellbeing, and a sense of safety. Therapiedier vzw trainers work with you to identify your support needs. Through co-training, we guide you and your own dog, provided the dog is suitable, towards targeted support through individually trained tasks.
Professional education for practitioners
Working professionally with a therapy animal requires more than commitment and a suitable animal. It also calls for knowledge, practical skills, ethical awareness, and respect for the welfare of both people and animals. Our professional training programs provide a sound foundation for responsible practice.
Knowledge, quality and animal welfare
Good intentions are not enough. High-quality animal-assisted interventions require professional knowledge, ethical awareness, clear protocols, and continuous attention to the boundaries and welfare of the animal. That is why we combine practice with lifelong learning, peer review, evaluation, and quality assurance.
What do you want to do?
- I want to work professionally with my therapy animal.
- I want to introduce AAI in my organization.
- I want to have my animal and our partnership evaluated.
- I am looking for a service dog that can support my self-sufficiency.
- I want an emotional support cat or dog.
- I want to take a vocational training course or continuing education.
- I am looking for a certified therapy animal team.
- I am looking for a time-out or day-care program with therapy animals.
Training and certification: clearly separated
Therapiedier vzw organizes the professional programmes Therapy Animal Practitioner® and Therapy Animal & Assistance Dog Trainer. We work with Toscanzahoeve as our content and practice partner for animal behaviour, training and guidance of human–animal teams. Screening, assessment and certification follow predefined quality criteria and transparent procedures.
Agenda and knowledge base
Discover upcoming training courses, evaluation moments, study days, and activities in our central calendar. In the blog and knowledge base, you will find background articles, practical insights, and information on animal welfare, ethics, and professional work with therapy animals.
Active since 2009.