“Many people with disabilities use a service animal in order to fully participate in everyday life. Dogs can be trained to perform many important tasks to assist people with disabilities, such as providing stability for a person who has difficulty walking, picking up items for a person who uses a wheelchair, preventing a child with autism from wandering away, or alerting a person who has hearing loss when someone is approaching from behind.” [1]
What is a “Service Dog”?
” The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) is part of federal law, and under it, individuals with disabilities are allowed to have a service dog. Also referred to as service animals, these working dogs can help in a variety of ways. According to the ADA, the description of a service animal is as follows:
Service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual’s disability.
The ADA clarifies that service dogs are distinct from pets and emotional support animals. Individuals with service dogs have specific permissions that do not apply to those with pets or emotional support animals.
Organizations like Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities (ECAD) that train service dogs can be accredited by Assistance Dogs International. ECAD’s accreditation signifies that we meet industry standards, such as humane training methods and compliance with legal regulations.” [2]
Which Breeds Make the Best Service Dogs?
“We know that dogs have an outstanding sense of smell that far surpasses humans. In fact, their sense of smell is 10,000 – 100,000 times better than that of people. But it takes more than a good nose to be a service dog. The breeds most commonly used as service dogs share the following key characteristics:
A desire to work. Your service dog should be happier on a walk or at the dog park than they are laying around at home.
A calm demeanor. Your service dog can’t cause disturbances in public or be easily startled by their surroundings.
Intelligence. Your service dog has to perform complex tasks that require innate intelligence and good decision making.
A friendly disposition. Your service dog must be friendly and comfortable around people and other animals.
A loving disposition. Your service dog must be able to form a strong bond to best serve your needs.
With that in mind, here are a few of the dog breeds that make the best service dogs:
- Labradors (American and English)
- Golden Retrievers
- German Shepherds
- Poodles
- Boxers
- Great Danes
- Resources” [3]
Tasks Service Dogs Can Perform
“Because service dogs are trained to help individuals with a wide range of disabilities, they can provide many types of assistance. A service dog may be trained to:
• Pull a wheelchair
• Help navigate for the visually impaired
•Assist in retaining balance and stability (“Vertigo Service Dogs”)
•Alert others to a medical crisis
•Provide assistance in a medical crisis
•Bring items like medication or phone.” [2]
Who is responsible for the care and supervision of a service animal?
“The handler is responsible for caring for and supervising the service animal, which includes toileting, feeding, and grooming and veterinary care. Covered entities are not obligated to supervise or otherwise care for a service animal.” [1]
Service Animals Rights
“The Americans with Disabilities Act requires state and local governments, public accommodations, and commercial facilities to allow service animals to accompany individuals with disabilities in all areas where members of the public are allowed to go.
Those places can ask a service animal owner:
- Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
- What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
However, they may not ask the owner:
- What is your disability?
- Can the animal demonstrate the task it performs for you?
- Do you have any documentation to prove your animal is a certified, trained service animal?
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act provide additional legal standards.” [4]
https://esadoctors.com/ada-service-animal-laws/#
What disabilities qualify someone for a service dog?
“To qualify for a service dog, you must have an eligible physical, emotional or mental health disability. The ADA defines a disability as a “physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.” A major life activity includes:
- Breathing, eating or sleeping
- Concentrating or thinking
- Learning or working
- Lifting, standing or walking
Although the ADA does not name every qualifying impairment, some disabilities that meet the requirements for a service dog include:
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Cerebral palsy
- Multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Seizures” [5]
What mental disorders do service dogs help with?
“Psychiatric service dogs can help with a variety of mental health conditions, including:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Service dogs can help wake people from nightmares and reduce fears when exposed to triggers.
- Depression: Service dogs can help create structure and routine, which can help prevent depression symptoms.
- Anxiety disorders: Service dogs can provide support for people with anxiety disorders.
- Bipolar disorder: Service dogs can help people with bipolar disorder maintain a regular sleep cycle, recognize manic or depressive episodes, and stay alert for dangerous behavior.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): Service dogs can help interrupt cycles of unwanted behavior and help people focus their thoughts.
- Schizophrenia: Service dogs can provide emotional support and help people with schizophrenia complete tasks or stay safe.
- Autism: Service dogs can help people with autism.
Service dogs can also help with: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders, social phobias, Agoraphobia, Claustrophobia, and panic disorders.
Mental health service dogs are trained to take specific actions in response to their owners’ conditions.” [6]
https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/five-different-types-of-service-dogs
What are the benefits of having a service dog?
“A service dog can greatly improve the quality of life for individuals with mental or physical disabilities. While there are a lot of factors that will determine if a service dog is right for you — including whether you have the physical and financial ability to care for it — it may be worth considering one if you need help in the following areas.
- Mobility assistance. Service dogs can be valuable for people with limited mobility, such as wheelchair users. …
- Allergy detection. …
- Vision and hearing support. …
- Mental health support. …
- Diabetic alert.
Conclusion
Not every disabled person will benefit from a service dog. Individuals who are afraid or uninterested in dogs would not be a good fit. However, if a person is naturally drawn to animals for comfort and interaction, a service dog could make a remarkable difference in that person’s life.
If you’re considering bringing a service dog for a disabled person into your home, carefully consider if you can meet their needs as there may be costs associated with training and care. It is essential to keep the dog up to date on veterinary care, provide it with regular exercise, maintain a healthy living environment, and give it a warm, loving home.
Resources
[1] https://www.ada.gov/resources/service-animals-faqs/
[2] https://www.ecad1.org/index.php/resources/how-service-dogs-help
[3] https://udservices.org/types-of-service-dogs/
[4] https://disabilityrightsflorida.org/disability-topics/disability_topic_info/service_animals
[6] Generate IA