Health Heelers LLC
Offering Guidance in Best Practices for the field of
Animal-Assisted Services
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Savard, Health Heelers Co-Founder
1997-2013
After an extremely rewarding career pioneering in, and launching and directing standards-based programs in SE Wisconsin, I'm continuing to share my passion for the healing capacity of the Human-Animal bond, by offering ongoing support to past training students, professionals and others striving to learn about and implement the highest standards in Animal-Assisted Services. Areas of Animal-Assisted Services (AAS), previously known as Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI), include:
Animal-Assisted Treatment (AATx) health or human-service professionals working within their scope of practice provide structured sessions that facilitate defined goals.
Animal-Assisted Education (AAE) educators or paraprofessionals working within their scope of practice provide structured lessons to facilitate academic goals.
Animal-Assisted Support Programs (AASP) professionals, paraprofessionals or volunteers provide visits or activities with the focus on benefits vs documented & measured outcomes. Examples: community services & visits, horsemanship for rehab -previously therapeutic riding, library reading programs, and crisis intervention.
At the heart of my desire are high hopes that all participants in AAS including recipients, providers, handlers, and all other-than-human animals we bring
into service, will find a safe, healing space in which positive growth and transitions are created and celebrated.
With deep gratitude to all the animals who have let me learn from and alongside them,
~ Laura Hey
be informed about standards & best practices
Professional provider competencies
Ethical practices
Animal criteria
Animal Selection & "Goodness of Fit"
Animal Behavior
Animal Training & Handling
Handler competencies
Program framework
Activities that serve
Recipient well being
Administrative regulations:
Compliance
Risk Prevention
Infection Prevention
The Science behind benefits of the Human-Animal bond
my credentials
Certificate in Animal-Assisted Services, 2000
Founder Health Heelers Inc, 2005 and Health Heelers LLC, 2024
Consultant for universities; author & instructor in AAS & Human-Animal Bond courses, 2017-2023
Co-author "...Competencies in AAI"
Co-author "...Uniform Terminology in AAS"
Contributing author: "The Gifts We Receive from Animals"
Multi-species therapy animal trainer & handler. Over 500 hrs continuing ed with top positive reinforcement trainers and animal behaviorists
Allied health professional 1982-2013
well being for
other-than-human animals
At the very core of all Animal-Assisted Services is the positive Human-Animal bond. Interactions that involve any level of force, pain or correction never have a place in Human-Animal interactions of any kind; and most certainly not in AAS. The evidence is clear that these techniques are physically and emotionally harmful to animals, can weaken relationships between humans and animals, and increase or cause fear, anxiety, and aggression.
Best practices dictate that the well-being of all animal participants MUST be a priority!
About Me
My early interactions with the dogs we cherished as family pets became the inspiration that guided my professional journey. That ultimately led me to design and direct some of the first standards-based Animal-Assisted Services (AAS) programs in the country. Within these programs, I created & led goal-directed activities that promoted measurable growth and transformation through meaningful Human-Animal connections. In visiting programs, provider volunteer teams were trained to the highest standards, thus offering exceptionally relevant and healing interactions to our recipients.
Although I'm officially retired now, my dedication to the field remains strong. My passion continues as an offer to keep sharing my professional expertise through consultation, support, and guidance about this incredibly beneficial, and evolving field.
If you have a question, idea or situation you'd like to talk through, and are looking for guidance, clarity, or simply a thoughtful ear, I'm happy to set up a brief, pro bono phone chat at my convenience. To begin, please provide some general information by submitting this FORM and I'll be in touch.
Please note that I monitor this page on an irregular basis.
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