Reaching Out of the Abyss: A Reflection on an Animal-Assisted Crisis Response Deployment

Authors

  • Batya G. Jaffe Yeshiva University

Keywords:

Animal-Assisted Crisis Response, animal-assisted interventions, human-animal relations, trauma

Abstract

In the wake of crises and disasters, Animal-Assisted Crisis Response (AACR) is an innovative intervention that provides comfort and support to survivors and bystanders. This article recounts the palpable and gratifying contributions of AACR in the aftermath of a tragedy, and a crisis scene in a city in Israel demonstrates the support that can be provided through this AACR handler and her dog.

Author Biography

Batya G. Jaffe, Yeshiva University

Batya G. Jaffe, PhD, MSW, AAT is Adjunct Professor, Wurzweiler School of Social Work, Yeshiva University, New York, NY, and Associate Investigator, G.I.L.I. Lab, Geha Mental Health Center, Petach Tikvah, Israel (bjaffe2@mail.yu.edu).

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Published

2026-04-29

How to Cite

Jaffe, B. G. (2026). Reaching Out of the Abyss: A Reflection on an Animal-Assisted Crisis Response Deployment. Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, 32(1), 47–56. Retrieved from https://reflectionsnarrativesofprofessionalhelping.org/index.php/Reflections/article/view/2147

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