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Therapy for Animals and their People Ethical Guidelines (April 2007) 1. Fees will not exceed those charged by members of other helping professions with comparable experience and qualifications. The welfare of the patient and client are paramount and are not subjugated to commercial considerations. Vicky is covered by appropriate professional indemnity and public liability insurance in order to be in a position to meet any liabilities they may incur. 2. Vicky has a responsibility to her patients (the animals), their people (the owners) and to society in general. Her interventions will not knowingly cause avoidable psychological or physical distress or damage to any of these stakeholders. Where such damage, or the risk of it, is unavoidable, this should be explained to and discussed with the owner, so as to enable him/her to make an informed decision regarding the intervention. 3. Vicky’s interventions are assumed to be the practical applications of a scientifically based body of knowledge or resulting from proven practical experience. Where interventions are experimental, the client must be fully informed. Vicky will keep clients as fully informed as possible about the nature of and reasons for their interventions and about any possible risk or drawbacks of these interventions. She will not lead her clients to form unrealistic expectations of the outcome of their interventions. 4. The relationship between the Vicky and her client is such that the she must guard against the exploitation of the client. During her interventions, she maintains a professional relationship with her client. She does not exploit the relationship for improper personal, professional or financial gain. She does not seek inappropriately to impose her own values on the client. Vicky recognises that information acquired by her about clients or patients is confidential within the limits of the law and she ensures that such information is not improperly used. She will ensure that, where details of cases are made public, the anonymity of the client is preserved. Photography or video or tape recordings of the clients, patients or their property are made, and used publically only with the consent of the client. 5. Vicky’s personal and professional conduct is not such as to undermine public confidence in behaviour therapists. She will not attempt to practice when unable to do so competently by reason of their physical condition or psychological state. 6. Vicky will not exploit her professional position or reputation by associating with the promotion, endorsement or sale of any article whose efficacy and relevance to the profession is not supported by evidence of a standard acceptable to the profession. 7. In their public statements, Vicky maintains a professional standard comparable to that in other areas of their professional life. They do not misrepresent their activities or make unrealistic claims. They do not make assertions that are not justified by evidence and it is made clear whenever they are expressing personal opinion or speculating beyond available evidence. 8. VICKY respects the viewpoint and independence of other therapists and does not publicly denigrate their professional conduct or opinion. |
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