February
16
Service Animals Changing the World One Person at a Time
The Silent Hero Next Door
Service Animals Changing the World
One Person at a Time
As the world watched a few weeks ago, dozens of trained search and rescue dogs and their handlers landed in Haiti. Their mission was to find people and bodies trapped in the piles of concrete that used to be homes and places of business. While they seldom make the news, service dogs – service heroes, really – are all around us, whether you realize it or not.
Service heroes help the physically disabled; they assist the military and many police forces; they visit those in hospital and nursing home residents; they even assist those whose conditions can be invisible.
16 Week Tribute to Service Animals
Today we are launching a 16-week tribute to honor service dogs who are giving so much to those with special needs. Next week we’re going to introduce you to a very special little girl who has Asperger’s Syndrome, and her dog, Jingle.
Jingle was specially trained to help Riley manage her emotional outbursts, and even though her family has only had Jingle for about six months, they can already see how Jingle is moving mountains for their daughter and in their community.
This series is meant to honor pets and those who train them to meet the special needs of their animal parents. Stay tuned – next week you’ll get to see some great pictures of Riley and Jingle, as well as hear the story of how the family came to the conclusion that a dog could help ease their daughter’s massive anxiety.
February 17th, 2010 at 4:48 pm
Dear Linda,
While I commend you to bring these stories to the public, you are incorrect when you label service dogs as "pets" . Assistance dogs (or service dogs) are not pets, but they are task trained to mitigate the disability of their handler. It is an affront to the assistance dog community to label their canine companion as a pet. Labeling these dogs as "pets" gives the public the wrong impression that their pet too may qualify as an service dog. I'm sure you did not realize that, nor mean to misinform the public.
February 17th, 2010 at 5:33 pm
A Service Dog is not a pet, but a dog that's been tasked trained to assist a person with a disability. They're a working animal, and as such have certain rights given to the team. The person with a disability has the right to bring a Service Dog into public places that normally would not permit a dog and into No Pet housing. They are by definition not a pet. Search and Rescue dogs, Police Dogs, therapy dogs, and Emotional Support dogs are not afforded the same rights with their handlers. Search and Rescue dogs are used in searching for people and provide a valuable service to our community, but they can't go into a public location with their handler unless they are requested and are working a search and rescue operation. Police dogs also can't enter a public location unless they are requested and are working as an officer. Therapy dog and ESDs are't permitted into public locations. Therapy dogs go into nursing homes and hospitals, but with limits on to the locations they can go. ESDs are permitted in housing that have a no pet policy, but can't go to public locations such as a local store. Please becareful about labeling valuable Service Dogs as "pets" when they are not.
February 17th, 2010 at 9:36 pm
Service Animals, dogs included are not 'pets' they are working animals, thus have the legal public access that pets are not allowed. It is extremely important to make sure this difference is stressed, and that the misuse of 'Service Pets' is corrected.
February 18th, 2010 at 1:40 am
Service Animals are not 'pets' it is important that, that line is not blurred, so you don't inadvertantly encourage someone to think thier 'pet' has the legal access to public access that TRAINED Service Animals have under the ADA.
February 18th, 2010 at 4:16 pm
Awesome.
I have scene the simple companionship and unconditional love of a dog bring so much joy to those who need it the most. It is a fabulous thing.
February 19th, 2010 at 4:42 am
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February 20th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Dogs certainly can serve people in a great many ways. Pets offer companionship that has been shown to be good for one's health. Therapy dogs, trained for basic obedience & some extra manners needed to visit hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, etc., have a positive impact on patients in care facilities. Service dogs is a term used for police & military dogs. Service dogs is also a term used in the ADA for guide & assistance dogs who have been specially trained to help people with disabilities.
February 22nd, 2010 at 6:43 pm
Thank you very much for your comments. I share your passion for service dogs. Your comments have caused me to rethink the way we positioned this story. As you point out, service dogs are not pets, they are highly trained dogs with rights not given to household pets. I appreciate you making this distinction so that I can communicate our shared passion in the appropriate context going forward. Thank you again.
Linda