Animal Assisted Interactions (AAI) is an encompassing term that refers to a variety of ways that animals can be incorporated into helping humans.

Informal Animals Assisted Interactions are typically called:

Animal Assisted Activities (AAA): "Informal interactions/visitations often conducted on a volunteer basis by the human-animal team for motivational, educational, and recreational purposes. There are not treatment goals for the interactions."* Pet visitation programs fall into this category. 

Formal Animal Assisted Interactions are often called animal assisted "interventions" and further subcategorized as:

Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT): "A goal oriented, planned and structured therapeutic intervention directed and/or delivered by health, education and human service professionals. Intervention progress is measured and included in professional documentation. AAT is delivered and/or directed by a formally trained (with active licensure, degree or equivalent) professional with expertise within the scope of the professionals’ practice. AAT focuses on enhancing physical, cognitive, behavioral and/or socio-emotional functioning of the particular human client."*

Animal Assisted Education (AAE): "A goal oriented, planned and structured intervention directed and/or delivered by educational and related service professional. The focus of the activities is on academic goals, prosocial skills and cognitive functioning. The student’s progress is measured and documented."*

*Excerpted from LAHAIO White Paper, 2013. Definitions for Animal Assisted Intervention and Animal Assisted Activity and Guidelines for Wellness of Animals Involved: Final Report.