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{{org_field_name}}

Registration Number: {{org_field_registration_no}}

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Supporting Service Users with Pets: Risk Assessment and Safety Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide clear guidelines on how {{org_field_name}} supports service users who have pets while ensuring the safety, hygiene, and well-being of both service users and care staff. Pets can play a vital role in enhancing the quality of life for individuals receiving domiciliary care by offering companionship, emotional support, and improving overall well-being. However, their presence in a home care setting requires careful risk assessment and health and safety considerations to maintain high standards of care.

This policy supports compliance with the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016, the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017, as amended, and the Welsh Government statutory guidance for providers and responsible individuals of domiciliary support services. It supports the provider’s duties to deliver safe, person-centred care and support; to assess and reduce risks to individuals, staff and others so far as reasonably practicable; to maintain effective infection prevention and control arrangements; and to ensure that care is provided in accordance with the individual’s personal plan. The policy must be read and applied alongside the service’s risk management, infection prevention and control, safeguarding, lone working, incident reporting, health and safety, complaints, and care planning procedures.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all employees, agency staff, volunteers, and contractors working for {{org_field_name}} who may encounter pets in service users’ homes. It applies to all types of pets, including dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, and small domestic animals. It also covers considerations for service users who rely on assistance animals (e.g., guide dogs) and how their needs are balanced with care provision.

Assistance animals, including guide dogs and other trained assistance dogs, must not be treated as ordinary pets for the purpose of restricting care. Where a service user relies on an assistance animal because of disability, {{org_field_name}} will consider and make reasonable adjustments in accordance with the Equality Act 2010, unless there is a specific, evidenced and proportionate safety reason why a particular arrangement cannot be supported. Any restrictions or control measures must be individually risk assessed, documented, discussed with the service user and, where appropriate, their representative or commissioner, and must be the least restrictive option available.

The policy ensures that both pet-owning and non-pet-owning service users are supported appropriately, taking into account allergies, phobias, infection control, and risk factors associated with specific animals.

This policy applies at all stages of service delivery, including enquiry, assessment before care is agreed, commencement of care, provider assessment, personal plan development, routine reviews, emergency or urgent visits, temporary changes to care arrangements, and any reassessment following a pet-related incident or change in circumstances. Where relevant, the service user’s representative, service commissioner, placing authority, family members or other professionals involved in the service user’s care and support will be consulted, provided this is appropriate and consistent with the service user’s well-being and wishes.

3. Risk Assessment Process

Before agreeing to provide care and support in a home where pets or assistance animals are present, {{org_field_name}} will complete and record a pet-related risk assessment as part of the suitability assessment and, where care proceeds, as part of the provider assessment and personal planning process. The assessment will consider whether the service can safely meet the service user’s care and support needs and support their personal outcomes, while also identifying and reducing risks to the service user, staff, other household members, visitors, and any other individuals who may be affected. The assessment must be proportionate, person-centred, evidence-based, and completed by a person with the skills, knowledge and competence to assess the risks.

The assessment should include the following considerations:

• Pet Behaviour and Temperament: Staff will assess whether the pet is aggressive, territorial, or has any history of biting, scratching, or excessive barking. If there are concerns about aggressive behaviour, arrangements must be made to ensure the pet is contained during visits.
• Hygiene and Cleanliness: The presence of pet hair, odours, faeces, and urine in the home must be assessed to determine whether the living environment remains safe and hygienic. Staff will work with service users to ensure cleaning arrangements are in place.
• Allergies and Phobias: Some staff members or other service users may have allergies or phobias related to animals. In such cases, alternative arrangements may be necessary, such as reassigning staff or ensuring that care is delivered in a separate pet-free space.
• Zoonotic Diseases and Infection Control: Pets can carry infections, parasites, and zoonotic diseases that may pose health risks. Service users must ensure that pets are vaccinated, dewormed, and free of fleas or ticks. Staff must follow handwashing protocols after handling pets or touching contaminated surfaces.
• Feeding and Care Responsibilities: Staff must clarify whether they are expected to assist with feeding, grooming, or cleaning up after pets. This must be agreed upon in advance as part of the care plan and should not be assumed as a duty.
• Assistance Animals: Service users with guide dogs or therapy animals have a right to keep them in their homes. Staff must not interfere with these animals but should report any welfare concerns to the appropriate authorities.

The pet-related risk assessment must include, where relevant:

• the species, breed/type, size, age, number and location of pets or assistance animals in the home;
• known behaviour, triggers, warning signs, previous biting, scratching, jumping, aggression, guarding behaviour, excessive barking, chasing, territorial behaviour, or distress when staff enter the property;
• whether the animal can be safely separated, contained or supervised during care visits, including who is responsible for doing this before staff enter;
• risks during personal care, moving and handling, medication support, food preparation, meal support, cleaning tasks or any task where staff may be distracted or physically restricted;
• whether the animal creates a trip, slip, fall, obstruction, fire evacuation or emergency access risk;
• staff allergies, phobias, pregnancy-related risks, immunosuppression or other health vulnerabilities, while maintaining confidentiality and equality duties;
• infection risks, including fleas, ticks, worms, faeces, urine, litter trays, cages, bedding, saliva, scratches, bites, contaminated surfaces, pet food and water bowls;
• whether the service user can safely care for the animal or whether unmet pet care needs may indicate wider self-neglect, environmental neglect, financial abuse, coercion, or safeguarding concerns;
• arrangements for hand hygiene, PPE, waste disposal, cleaning of contaminated surfaces and management of spillages;
• lone working risks, including safe entry and exit, availability of a mobile phone or lone working device, escalation arrangements and when staff must withdraw;
• contingency arrangements if a pet is loose, aggressive, unwell, injured, neglected, missing, newly acquired, or present unexpectedly;
• whether any pet-related task is included in the commissioned care package, personal plan or service agreement;
• whether specialist advice is required from a veterinary professional, environmental health, health and safety adviser, infection prevention lead, commissioner, social worker, occupational therapist, GP, district nurse, safeguarding team or other relevant professional.

The pet-related risk assessment will be reviewed at least annually and sooner where there is any change in the service user’s needs, the care package, the home environment, the staff team, the animal’s health or behaviour, or where an incident, near miss, safeguarding concern, infection risk, allergy concern, complaint, refusal of access, or staff concern occurs. Any review must consider whether the personal plan, visit arrangements, staff allocation, infection control measures, lone working arrangements or service agreement require amendment.

3.1 Recording Pet-Related Risks in the Personal Plan

Where a service user has a pet or assistance animal and this affects care delivery, the personal plan must clearly record:

• the agreed arrangements for where the animal will be during each visit;
• who is responsible for securing, supervising, feeding, cleaning or otherwise caring for the animal;
• any pet-related tasks that staff are authorised to carry out;
• any pet-related tasks that staff must not carry out;
• the agreed infection prevention and control measures;
• any PPE required;
• staff allocation restrictions, such as allergy, phobia or training requirements;
• what staff must do if the animal is not contained as agreed;
• emergency arrangements, including when staff should withdraw and contact the office, emergency services, the commissioner, the representative or safeguarding team.

Staff must not undertake pet-related duties unless these are recorded in the personal plan, risk assessment and, where applicable, the service agreement or commissioner instructions. Any informal request to provide pet care must be referred to the Registered Manager before staff agree to carry it out.

4. Managing Safety and Hygiene in Homes with Pets

To maintain high standards of infection control and hygiene, staff must adhere to the following practices:

• Hand Hygiene: Staff must wash hands with liquid soap and water before and after contact with pets, assistance animals, pet food, water bowls, bedding, litter trays, cages, faeces, urine, vomit, saliva or contaminated surfaces. Alcohol-based hand sanitiser may be used where handwashing facilities are not immediately available, but it must not replace handwashing where hands are visibly soiled or where there has been contact with animal waste or bodily fluids. Staff must follow the Infection Prevention and Control Policy at all times.
• Personal Protective Equipment: Staff must use PPE in line with the Infection Prevention and Control Policy and the individual risk assessment. Disposable gloves must be worn where there is contact with animal waste, bodily fluids, contaminated surfaces, litter trays, cages, bedding or pet food bowls. Disposable aprons must be worn where clothing may be contaminated. Additional PPE, such as fluid-resistant face protection, must be considered where there is a risk of splashing. PPE must be removed and disposed of safely immediately after the task, and hand hygiene must be completed after removal.
• Avoiding Direct Contact: Staff should not share food with pets, allow animals to lick their faces, or touch open wounds after handling animals. If scratches or bites occur, the incident must be reported immediately, and medical attention sought if necessary.
• Animal Bites, Scratches and Exposure Incidents: Any bite, scratch, broken skin, saliva exposure to broken skin, eye/mouth exposure, or suspected infection must be treated as an incident. Staff must stop the task when safe to do so, wash the affected area immediately with soap and running water, seek first aid and medical advice as required, and report the incident to the office/Registered Manager without delay. The incident must be recorded, investigated, and the risk assessment and personal plan reviewed before the next visit wherever practicable. Where the incident results in serious injury, hospital treatment, safeguarding concerns, inability to deliver care safely, or a significant risk to others, the Registered Manager/Responsible Individual must consider whether notifications are required to CIW, the commissioner, safeguarding, RIDDOR or other relevant bodies.
• Managing Pet Waste, Litter Trays, Cages and Spillages: Staff must not clean litter trays, cages, animal bedding, faeces, urine, vomit or other pet-related waste unless this is explicitly agreed in the personal plan, risk assessment and service agreement/commissioner instructions. Where such support is agreed, staff must use the required PPE, follow safe waste handling and spillage procedures, avoid hand-to-face contact, clean and decontaminate any affected equipment or surfaces as agreed, and complete hand hygiene afterwards. Where pet waste creates an immediate hazard that prevents safe care delivery, staff must report this to the office/Registered Manager and follow the risk assessment and lone working procedure.
• Home Cleanliness: Service users must ensure that homes are reasonably clean and free of pet-related hazards, including urine, faeces, or excessive pet hair that may pose a slip risk or exacerbate respiratory conditions.
• Safe Entry, Exit and Withdrawal: Staff must not enter or remain in a property where they reasonably believe an animal presents an immediate risk of harm and agreed control measures are not in place. If a pet is loose, aggressive, blocking entry or exit, or preventing safe care delivery, staff must move to a safe place, contact the office/Registered Manager, and follow the lone working procedure. Staff must not attempt to physically restrain, chase, remove or discipline an animal. The missed or delayed visit must be recorded, the service user’s immediate care needs must be considered, and escalation to the representative, commissioner, emergency services or safeguarding team must be made where required.

If the home environment is excessively unclean, contaminated by animal waste, infested with parasites, unsafe due to pet-related hazards, or otherwise presents a health and safety risk, staff must report this to the Registered Manager without delay. The Registered Manager will complete or arrange a reassessment, consider urgent control measures, consult the service user and/or representative where appropriate, and liaise with the commissioner, environmental health, health professionals, safeguarding team or other relevant agencies where required. Care must not be withdrawn or reduced without considering the service user’s immediate needs, risks to well-being, contractual requirements, safeguarding duties and commissioner involvement.

4.1 Safeguarding, Self-Neglect and Animal Welfare Concerns

Pet-related concerns may indicate wider risks to the service user’s well-being, including self-neglect, environmental neglect, financial abuse, coercion, inability to maintain a safe home environment, or inability to meet the animal’s basic welfare needs. Staff must report concerns to the Registered Manager without delay where:

• animal waste, odour, infestation or clutter is affecting the safety or dignity of the service user;
• the service user appears unable to feed, water, clean, control or safely care for the animal;
• the service user is refusing essential care because of pet-related issues;
• another person is using the pet to intimidate, control or restrict the service user;
• staff cannot provide care safely because of the animal or home environment;
• there are concerns that the animal is being neglected, abused or is suffering.

The Registered Manager must consider whether a safeguarding referral is required under the Safeguarding Adults from Abuse and Improper Treatment Policy, whether the commissioner/local authority should be informed, and whether animal welfare concerns should be reported to the appropriate animal welfare organisation or local authority service. Any action taken must be recorded.

5. Training and Support for Staff

{{org_field_name}} will ensure that staff receive information, instruction, supervision and training appropriate to their role and the level of pet-related risk they may encounter. This will include:

• Safe Interaction and Behaviour Awareness: Staff will receive guidance on safe conduct around different animals, recognising signs of distress, fear, guarding, aggression or over-excitement, and avoiding actions that may provoke an animal.
• Lone Working and Dynamic Risk Assessment: Staff will be trained to assess risk on arrival and during the visit, to check agreed control measures are in place, to maintain a safe exit route, to contact the office if risks change, and to withdraw safely where there is immediate danger.
• Infection Prevention and Control: Staff will be trained in hand hygiene, PPE, safe handling of contaminated items, animal waste risks, exposure incidents, bite/scratch response and reporting requirements.
• Allergy, Phobia and Health Risk Management: Staff must inform their line manager of any allergy, phobia, pregnancy-related concern, immunosuppression or other health issue that may affect their ability to work safely in homes with animals. The service will consider reasonable adjustments, confidentiality, alternative allocation and continuity of care.
• Assistance Animals and Equality Duties: Staff will be informed that assistance animals support disabled people’s independence and must not be treated as ordinary pets. Staff must follow agreed risk assessments and reasonable adjustments and must not impose blanket restrictions.
• Personal Plan Boundaries: Staff must only undertake pet-related tasks that are agreed, risk assessed and recorded in the personal plan. Staff must not agree informal pet care arrangements directly with the service user or family.
• Incident, Safeguarding and Escalation Procedures: Staff will be trained to report bites, scratches, near misses, unsafe conditions, suspected neglect, inability to access the property, refusal of care because of pets, and any concern that may affect the service user’s safety or well-being.

Staff concerns regarding pets must be raised with the line manager or Registered Manager. The Registered Manager will review the situation, update risk assessments and personal plans where required, and make changes to staffing, visit arrangements or escalation plans where necessary.

6. Service User Responsibilities

Service users who have pets or assistance animals will be supported in a respectful and person-centred way. They also have responsibilities to help ensure care can be delivered safely. These responsibilities will be discussed during assessment and recorded in the risk assessment and personal plan where relevant.

Service users, or the person responsible for the animal, are expected to:

• inform {{org_field_name}} before care starts, or as soon as possible during care, if there are pets or assistance animals in the home;
• inform {{org_field_name}} if they acquire a new animal, an animal leaves the home, or an animal’s behaviour, health, vaccination, parasite status or care arrangements change;
• follow agreed arrangements for containing, supervising or separating animals during care visits where this has been assessed as necessary;
• ensure animals do not obstruct safe entry, exit, moving and handling, personal care, medication support, food preparation or emergency care;
• maintain reasonable standards of cleanliness in relation to animal waste, bedding, litter trays, cages, food bowls and living areas;
• ensure pets are treated for parasites and receive appropriate veterinary care, vaccination and deworming in line with veterinary advice;
• provide any equipment needed for agreed pet-related tasks, such as food, bowls, waste bags, litter, cleaning materials or secure leads/crates;
• understand that staff will not undertake pet-related tasks unless they are agreed, risk assessed and recorded in the personal plan and service agreement.

Where agreed safety measures are not followed, {{org_field_name}} will review the risk assessment and personal plan, discuss concerns with the service user and/or representative where appropriate, and consider proportionate action. This may include changes to visit arrangements, staff allocation, temporary controls, involvement of the commissioner or other professionals, safeguarding referral, or review of whether the service can continue to be provided safely. Care will not be changed or withdrawn without considering the service user’s needs, well-being, contractual arrangements, commissioner involvement and legal duties.

6.1 Pet-Related Tasks and Limits of Staff Duties

Staff may only assist with pet-related tasks where all of the following apply:

• the task is necessary to support the service user’s assessed needs, personal outcomes, safety, dignity or ability to remain at home;
• the task is within the scope of the service’s statement of purpose and any commissioning agreement;
• the task has been risk assessed;
• the task is recorded in the personal plan and service agreement where applicable;
• staff have the required information, instruction, PPE, time and competence to carry out the task safely.

Staff must not administer veterinary medicines, transport animals, pay for pet supplies, use their own money for pet-related purchases, take animals into their own homes, take responsibility for rehoming animals, physically restrain aggressive animals, or undertake any task that places them or the service user at unreasonable risk unless this has been expressly authorised by the Registered Manager following risk assessment and, where required, commissioner agreement.

6.2 Financial Boundaries and Pet-Related Purchases

Staff must not use their own money, personal bank card, loyalty cards or online accounts to buy pet food, veterinary items or other pet-related supplies for a service user. Where support with pet-related purchases is agreed as part of the care package, it must be managed in accordance with the Supporting Individuals to Manage Their Money Policy, the personal plan, financial recording procedures and any commissioner requirements. Receipts and records must be kept for any transaction undertaken on behalf of a service user.

6.3 Refusal, Suspension or Adjustment of Visits Due to Pet-Related Risk

{{org_field_name}} will make every reasonable effort to provide care safely where pets or assistance animals are present. However, staff may delay, leave or refuse to enter a visit where there is an immediate and serious risk of harm, including where an animal is aggressive, uncontrolled, blocking access or exit, or where animal waste or contamination makes care unsafe. Staff must immediately report the situation to the office/Registered Manager.

The Registered Manager will consider the service user’s immediate care needs and take proportionate action, which may include contacting the service user, representative, emergency contact, commissioner, safeguarding team, emergency services or other relevant professionals. Any decision to adjust, suspend or terminate care because of pet-related risk must be recorded, justified, communicated appropriately, and reviewed in line with the service agreement, personal plan, safeguarding duties and the provider’s duty to act in an open and transparent way.

6.4 Incidents, Notifications and Duty of Candour

All pet-related incidents, near misses and concerns must be recorded and reviewed. This includes bites, scratches, falls caused by animals, contamination incidents, staff withdrawal from a visit, refusal or inability to provide care, damage to equipment, aggressive behaviour, allergic reaction, infection concern, safeguarding concern, or any event that affects the service user’s care or staff safety.

The Registered Manager will ensure that:

• immediate action is taken to protect the service user, staff and others;
• first aid or medical advice is sought where required;
• the risk assessment and personal plan are reviewed;
• the commissioner, representative, safeguarding team, health professional, environmental health, animal welfare organisation, RIDDOR or other relevant body is informed where required;
• CIW is notified where the incident is notifiable under the Regulations or CIW notification requirements;
• the service user and/or representative is informed in an open and transparent way where something has gone wrong, unless doing so would be inappropriate or inconsistent with the service user’s well-being.

Records must include the date, time, persons involved, animal involved, what happened, immediate action taken, injury or harm caused, advice sought, notifications made, review outcome and any changes to control measures.

7. Related Policies

This policy should also be read in conjunction with:

• Care Planning and Personal Plan Policy
• Assessment and Commencement of Service Policy
• Lone Working Policy
• Incident Reporting and Accident Policy
• Duty of Candour Policy
• Complaints Policy
• Whistleblowing Policy
• Staff Training, Supervision and Development Policy
• Supporting Individuals to Manage Their Money Policy
• Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Policy
• Moving and Handling Policy
• Waste Management / Clinical Waste Policy, where separate
• Medication Policy, where pets may affect safe access to or administration of medicines

8. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed at least annually or sooner where there are changes in legislation, Welsh Government statutory guidance, CIW requirements, infection prevention and control guidance, safeguarding procedures, health and safety guidance, best practice, service provision, or following a relevant incident, complaint, audit finding, safeguarding concern or quality assurance review.

The Registered Manager is responsible for ensuring that pet-related risk assessments, incidents, staff concerns and changes to personal plans are monitored. Themes and learning will be included in the service’s quality assurance and improvement arrangements where relevant. Updates to this policy will be communicated to staff and, where relevant, to service users and representatives in a format they can understand. users with pets.

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Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}
Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}
Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}
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