Pets and Companion Animals Policy

A pets and companion animals policy sets out how your aged care facility manages resident access to animals, including resident-owned pets, visiting animals, and organised pet therapy programs. Aged care providers across Australia need a documented policy in place to meet their obligations under the Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards and to protect both residents and staff. This template gives you a practical starting point you can adapt to your facility's context.

What This Policy Covers

The policy applies to all interactions between animals and people within the aged care setting. That includes permanent resident-owned pets, animals brought in by family members or volunteers, and structured animal-assisted therapy sessions run by external providers.

It also covers the responsibilities of staff, residents, and visitors, along with procedures for animal health checks, infection control, and managing resident wellbeing where animals are present. Facilities that allow animal visits without a documented policy carry real compliance and safety risk.

Why It Matters for Aged Care Compliance

The Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, which took effect for providers from 1 July 2024, place individual rights and personalised care at the centre of service delivery.

Standard 1 (The Person) requires providers to support residents to live the life they choose, including maintaining meaningful relationships and activities that reflect their identity. For many older Australians, animals are a significant part of their personal history and emotional wellbeing. Denying access to pets without clear policy and process can conflict with a resident's rights under this standard.

Standard 4 (The Environment) requires providers to maintain a safe, clean, and well-maintained environment. Introducing animals into a residential facility creates specific considerations around hygiene, allergens, and safety for residents with mobility or cognitive challenges. A well-designed policy addresses both sides of this equation.

Requirement AreaRelevant StandardWhat Your Policy Should AddressResident rights and choiceStandard 1 (The Person)Process for assessing and supporting resident requests to keep or interact with animalsEnvironmental safety and hygieneStandard 4 (The Environment)Infection control measures, animal health requirements, designated animal-free zonesIncident managementStandard 1 and Standard 4Reporting procedures for bites, allergic reactions, or animal-related incidentsConsent and care planningStandard 1 (The Person)Documentation of resident preferences, allergies, and consent in care plansStaff and visitor responsibilitiesStandard 4 (The Environment)Clear role definitions for managing animals on site

What a Good Policy Should Include

A robust policy goes beyond simply listing rules. It should reflect your facility's values around person-centred care while giving staff clear guidance for day-to-day decisions.

Key elements to cover include the types of animals permitted, health and vaccination requirements for visiting animals, designated areas where animals are and are not allowed, and the process for assessing resident wellbeing in relation to animal interactions. Policies should also address how staff handle situations where a resident's preferences conflict with another resident's allergies or fears.

This policy works closely with your Infection Prevention and Control Policy, which should govern hand hygiene protocols before and after animal contact, and with your Lifestyle and Recreational Activities Policy, which often includes provisions for structured animal therapy sessions.

How Governa Helps Providers Stay Compliant

Governa's compliance platform gives aged care providers instant access to policy templates that are mapped to the Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards. Every template in the Policy Templates Library is written in plain language and designed to be customised for your organisation's specific context.

The Norma compliance bot can answer staff questions about policy requirements in real time, reducing the burden on clinical leads and compliance officers. When standards are updated, Governa flags affected policies so you can act quickly rather than discovering gaps during an audit.

Keeping your policy suite current across resident rights, environment, and clinical care is simpler when everything is in one place.

Download This Template or Book a Demo

The free downloadable template below is ready to customise for your facility. Fill in your organisation's details, review the procedures against your current practices, and add it to your policy register.

If you want to see how Governa manages your full compliance framework, book a demo with the team today.