Founded in 2004, by pet and family lifestyle expert and animal advocate Colleen Paige, National Dog Day is celebrated August 26th annually.
National Dog Day serves to create awareness for dogs in need of rescue each year as well as acknowledges family dogs and types of service dogs, which have been trained to work selflessly each day to save lives, keep us safe, and bring comfort.
Today, to celebrate National Dog Day we describe several types of service dogs for the people with disability and briefly explain how they make lives of disabled people easier each day.
What is a Service Dog?
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) service animals are defined as dogs individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.
Service animals are working animals, not pets. All types of service dogs have been trained specifically to support their individual human’s disability. Dogs whose only function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.
Where Service Dogs Allowed
Under the ADA, State and local governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations which serve the public generally must allow types of service dogs to accompany individuals with disabilities in all areas of the facility where the public is normally allowed.
For instance, in a hospital it would be inappropriate to exclude a service animal from areas such as patient rooms, cafeterias, or examination rooms. However, it may be appropriate to exclude a service animal from operating rooms or burn units where the animal’s presence may compromise a sterile environment.
Under the ADA, all types of service dogs must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents use of these devices. In such cases, the individual must maintain control the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls.
Types of Service Dogs
Below we describe some of the different types of service dogs which assist and save the lives of people with disabilities every day.
Guide dogs: Guide dogs listen to commands from their handlers to help blind or visually impaired individuals. Guide dogs will only obey the command when it is safe to do so.
Hearing dogs: Hearing dogs alert people to household sounds necessary for everyday safety and independence. They are trained to make physical contact and lead their person to the source of the sound.
Mobility assistance dogs: These types of service dogs increase the independence of a person who uses a wheelchair, has trouble standing, and/or with ambulating. For example, they can:
- Bump the button on automatic doors
- Retrieve dropped items
- Bring out-of-reach objects like a ringing phone
Autism alert dogs: These service dogs calm and ground people on the autism spectrum via tactile or deep pressure stimulation. Autism alert dogs help teach life skills and maintain boundaries. In addition to physical tasks, these types of service dogs provide emotional support. They offer solid and supportive companionship which helps ease sensory overload, a common challenge for individuals with autism.
Seizure assistance dogs: Seizure assistance dogs are trained to respond to a seizure in individuals who have epilepsy. For example, a seizure dog will bark when a child has a seizure to alert family members. Or the dog may put its body in between the child and the floor to break the fall at the inception of a seizure. Some seizure dogs may be trained to activate some kind of pre-programmed device such as a pedal which rings an alarm.
Medical service dogs: These types of service dogs can detect shifts in insulin levels or the onset of a seizure as well as perform other medical tasks which benefit the safety of their handlers.
Mental health service dogs: These animals work with individuals who have mental disabilities. They offer physical and emotional support to people faced with challenges of mental disorders like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Dissociative Identity Disorder, and anxiety attacks.
The above mentioned types of service dogs make a positive difference in lives of people with disabilities everyday. To show your appreciation of all types of service dogs you can follow these suggestions to celebrate National Dog Day this year.