The powerful nature of relationships between human beings and animals has been documented extensively within the human services literature. Research on the human–animal bond has traversed diverse topics and fields of practice. Examples include the physical and mental health benefits of companion animals, the place of companion animals in the family system, the significance of cruelty against animals as a predictor of future violent behaviour and the therapeutic impact of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) across a range of contexts. This paper examines the relevance of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) to an ecological approach to social work practice, particularly when working with children and young people, and considers both practice and ethical issues for social workers employing AAT, with reference to the implications these have for social work education providers.