Disabilities can sometimes greatly limit a person’s independence, making everyday tasks more challenging. Any solutions? There is one! Service animals! Service dogs can be a powerful solution that helps with a person’s needs when they have a disability. They offer vital support and can help navigate daily tasks. To a person living with a disability, a service dog can be life changing.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service animals are dogs trained to help someone with a disability. The dogs are taught to perform tasks to help with specific needs related to the disability. For example, they may be trained to detect the onset of a seizure so they can warn their owner and help keep them safe, or to fetch something from the refrigerator for someone who has challenges with mobility. Service dogs can be any size or breed. These dogs can provide the greatest assistance with disabilities associated with sensory, psychiatric, physical and intellectual challenges. Service dogs are allowed in all public places including grocery stores and restaurants.
Getting a service dog is a lengthy and difficult process. The amount of people who need one exceeds service dog availability. To qualify, the ADA requires written documentation from a healthcare provider indicating the disability and stating that the person would benefit from a service dog. Once the person has the necessary documentation, there are various ways to try and get a trained service dog:
1) Apply and be chosen to receive a trained dog from a service dog agency or organization
2) Purchase a dog and apply to an organization for training
3) Train a dog to be a service dog on your own.
While a service dog can be used for assistance, they can provide other benefits too. According to the AKC, there are 10 science based benefits including helping with loneliness, encouraging individuals to move, be more social and increase happiness.
I have a six-year-old Goldendoodle named Sadie. While Sadie is not a service dog, she brings me great joy. I can’t imagine life without a dog. Some people have asked me why, as someone who would qualify for a service dog, I never applied to get one. The answer? The challenges I face from living with a disability do not require the support of a service dog. Instead, like all dogs, Sadie provides emotional support. She brings me great joy and I laugh at the things she does everyday. Sadie provides companionship and comfort if I’m feeling lonely and gives me confidence in being responsible for another living being. I take great pride in caring for Sadie.
If you think that a service dog would be a benefit for you, I wholly support investigating it further to see if one would be a good fit for you. For more information, you can visit the ADA and organizations like Canine Companions.
Additional resource: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/10-science-based-benefits-dog/
