The Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals (AAAIP) has spent years working with certification experts and field subject matter experts to identify professional competencies that safeguard all involved in therapy/facility animal services. Empirical processes were followed to create a practice analysis document covering five domains of essential knowledge, which were further validated through field-wide surveys. This workshop session will explore these five domains with interactive features to help attendees recognize the application of best practices in applied settings. First, key terminology and processes by which professionals can partner with therapy animals will be reviewed. Next, characteristics of therapy animal welfare and well-being and aspects of animal behavior awareness will be reviewed with emphasis on therapy animals as willing participants whose lives are enriched by their role. Best practices such as zoonosis/infection prevention protocols and suggested AAI documentation will be provided along with other professional best practices. Together with the panel of experts with backgrounds covering each of the domains within the AAAIP competencies, attendees will work through mock scenarios that bring the knowledge from this workshop to life.