Code of Conduct

MEMBERS CODE OF CONDUCT

The following Code of Conduct states the principles and guidelines for the Practitioner  & Student Members of the Alberta Association of Complementary Equine Therapy.  Any breach of the Code of Conduct will be open to review by the Incident Inquiry Committee and may be open to Disciplinary Action, including dismissal from the Association.

Your Practice/Therapy

  1. The owner of the animal or person responsible for the animal must be made aware that the Practitioner will not act as a substitute for veterinarian attention and that the veterinarian should always be the primary caregiver of the animal.
  2. Practitioners are not, under any circumstance, permitted to prescribe medications of any type, nor to offer treatment to the animal other than working within the parameters of their specific modality. 
  3. Observations of medical conditions, illness or disease are not to be presented by the Practitioner as a diagnosis but rather as a suggestion to pursue veterinary care.
  4. In the event of any doubt about the health of the animal, the animal must be referred to a veterinarian for diagnosis and this referral must be recorded by the Practitioner. The Practitioner should not resume any therapy until veterinary approval has been granted or release/permission directly from the owner has been given. The circumstances regarding this also must be recorded by the Practitioner.
  5. All modality specific precautions and contraindications must be regarded and recorded.

Client Confidentiality

  1. Client confidentiality must be maintained at all times and any requests on the progress of a client must be directed through the owner/trainer/veterinarian responsible for the animal in question.  When discussing case studies with other practitioners, remember not to name the animal or client being discussed.

Therapy Documentation/Records

  1. It is expected that a disclaimer be included in all client records stating that owner/trainer permission or veterinary approval, when applicable, has been granted to work on an animal, specification of which individual has granted permission must also be recorded.
  2. Any persons under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian sign off on the waiver.
  3. All Practitioners are required to keep accurate records of EACH therapy session carried out. 

AACET Membership

  1. Membership is available to all those that qualify. Members must reside in Alberta and be at least 18 years old.
  2. All Practitioners are expected to strictly adhere to the AACET Code of Conduct as well as all Guidelines and Standards pertaining to their specific modality.
  3. All Practitioners MUST be covered by professional indemnity insurance through the AACET group insurance provider, or other, if and when it is available.  It is the responsibility of the Practitioner to maintain and provide proof of such insurance.
  4. To keep their membership in good standing, Practitioners will be expected to submit all applicable documentation and information updates to the Membership Officer, or their Department Head when applicable, yearly, including proof of continuing education, course certificates and Membership fees.

AACET Membership Fees

  1. AACET Membership fees include only your yearly AACET Membership, all other costs and fees above and beyond that, including indemnity insurance, are to be incurred by each individual member. The Membership fee may increase from year to year as the Association requires.
  2. Currently, Practitioner‘s yearly Membership fees are $75.00 and Student’s Membership Fees are $40.00.  
  3. These dues are required to be paid in full on or before December 31 of each year.
  4. If you have not paid your dues, a grace period of 1 month will be given before Membership is revoked but the Membership fee will then increase to $100.00. Members may be reinstated if Membership has been revoked due to late payment of Membership fees, provided they pay all outstanding dues and an additional $40 administrative fee.
  5. AACET Membership will be required for the Practitioner to have access to group Insurance by the Association provider.
  6. All cheques will be deposited by the league’s Treasurer within 14 business days of the date on the cheque.
  7. Practitioner Membership ensures voting privileges at all meetings, Student Membership does not include voting privileges nor does it include access to Insurance. Both Membership types (Practitioner & Student) are subject to all other rules contained in this document whether or not their Membership fees are paid in full.
  8. Membership fees are NON-REFUNDABLE and will not be prorated.  
  9. Any NSF cheques will be charged a $35 NSF fee.

Continuing Education

  1. Members must complete a minimum of twenty four (24) hrs of Continuing Education (CE) per year. The Continuing Education form must be filled out, signed by the instructor or organizer and submitted to the Membership Officer, or to your respective Department Head when applicable, with your annual renewal of membership. If in doubt regarding the acceptability of a specific professional development activity, please contact the Secretary of the Association, who will review the information and advise the member of approval. The following activities qualify for CE hours:
  • Modality Specific informational seminars presented by AACET (you must be a member of AACET to attend these events)
  • Any CE courses held by the instructor of your Approved Course (all hours of attendance accepted)
  • Attendance at a seminar, workshop, conference or clinic on equine health related topics not presented by AACET (if unsure if it qualifies please check with the Association Secretary)
  • Any Equine Therapy courses

AACET and other Approved Practitioners:

  1. All Practitioners are expected whenever possible to work in conjunction with other Practitioners in a collaborative effort to benefit the health of the animal.
  2. All Practitioners are expected to treat other members of the Association in a respectful and positive manner. Slander of other Practitioners or of AACET will not be tolerated.
  3. All Practitioners are encouraged to promote the Alberta Association of Animal Owner’s Rights (AAAOR) by advising their clients to become members of the AAAOR.
  4. It is expected that all Practitioners maintain a high standard in work and appearance and that they give the profession and AACET a positive and professional image at all times, both with clients and fellow professionals within the industry. 
  5. If Practitioners involve the Association in any publicity they are requested to send a copy of any feature or article to the Association office prior to publication. Please contact a member of the Board of Directors before engaging the Association in any kind of publicity. In this way the standard of representation of the profession and of the Association can be monitored. Stating your affiliation with AACET does not fall under these terms.
  6. Strategy for managing media, publicity and promotions will be determined and upheld by the Board of Directors. If public comment is made without the permission of the Board or a Committee created by the Board to oversee this area, disciplinary action may be taken.
  7. Practitioners must not make any public comments whatsoever concerning any aspect of an AACET grievance process, either before or after a mediation or hearing, even if the member is personally involved. 
  8. League communications among members will be managed under AACET on our website, Facebook group page and private members page, personal email or phone call fan out. All Practitioners must make an effort to keep abreast of upcoming events, updates and Association news through these venues. It is your responsibility to check the Facebook  private members page regularly for updates and issues, decisions and questions that involve you. Periodically opinion polls will be provided, allowing you to have a say in AACET matters, your prompt response is encouraged, appreciated and expected.

The Association is not responsible for the conduct of it’s Members, though any complaints will be investigated and Members may be removed from the Association if deemed necessary. The Association therefore cannot be held legally responsible for the actions of its Members. 

Download AACET Code of Conduct