The nomenclature used to describe animals working in roles supporting people can be confusing. The same term may be used to describe different roles, or two terms may mean the same thing. This confusion is evident among researchers, practitioners, and end users. Because certain animal roles are provided with legal protections and/or government-funding support in some jurisdictions, it is necessary to clearly define the existing terms to avoid confusion. The aim of this paper is to provide operationalized definitions for nine terms, which would be useful in many world regions: “assistance animal”, “companion animal”, “educational/school support animal”, “emotional support animal”, “facility animal”, “service animal”, “skilled companion animal”, “therapy animal”, and “visiting/visitation animal”. At the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ) conferences in 2018 and 2020, over 100 delegates participated in workshops to define these terms, many of whom co-authored this paper. Through an iterative process, we have defined the nine terms and explained how they differ from each other. We recommend phasing out two terms (i.e., “skilled companion animal” and “service animal”) due to overlap with other terms that could potentially exacerbate confusion. The implications for several regions of the world are discussed.
Non-accidental injury of animals WE are currently undertaking a survey to establish the extent of nonaccidental injuries, and other forms of animal abuse that vets see in practice. This survey will explore the types of animals involved and the specific injuries inflicted, as well as the vets' perceptions of the links between animal abuse and human abuse. Ultimately it will provide knowledge of animal abuse in veterinary practices that will be used to develop support for professionals working with such cases in the future. We would be grateful if qualified veterinary surgeons could complete the survey, which should take about 20 minutes to complete. The survey can be found at https:// edinburgh.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/ vets-experiences-of-non-accidentalinjuries-and-abuse
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