Objectives:
1. Examine the feasibility of animal-assisted interactions sessions for children with a life-threatening condition and primary caregiver to:
* Identify and document modifications for a safe and feasible intervention,
* Obtain recruitment estimates and determine potential recruitment barriers
* Evaluate elements of implementation fidelity (design, training, delivery/receipt of Treatment, enactment)
* Verify safety.
H1-1: Children and parents (\>60%) will complete the interventions and provide positive acceptability data. H1-2: Implementation fidelity can be achieved with the proposed methodology
2. Determine the preliminary efficacy of animal-assisted interactions sessions for:
* Children with a life-threatening condition (LTC) for the outcome of health-related quality of life
* Children with a LTC and their primary caregivers for the outcomes of stress and anxiety
H2-1 Children with a life-threatening condition who receive animal-assisted interactions will experience improved health-related quality of life (HRQOL) more than patients who do not receive animal-assisted interactions.
H2-2a Children with life-threatening condition who receive animal-assisted interactions will experience decreased stress and anxiety more than parents of children who do not receive animal-assisted interactions.
H2-2b Primary caregivers of children with a life-threatening condition who receive animal-assisted interactions will experience decreased stress and anxiety more than parents of children who do not receive animal-assisted interactions.
