As I started writing this post, I did not realize that different organizations sometimes use different names for the assistance their service animals provide to the recipients. In my list below, I tried to find the most common name used by the general public.Â
When I think of service animals, I usually think about dogs assisting those who are visually impaired. Today there are many different ways that dogs and other kinds of animals help those who live with different disabilities. Here are the 5 most interesting ways I think service animals help their owners live a more independent life. :
1. Seizure Alert Dog– These dogs can be trained to get help for their owner when they are about to have a seizure. They can also be trained to get a person’s medicine or be a comfort to the person while they recover from the seizure.
2. Psychiatric Service Dog– These dogs help Veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as well as people with other mental health issues. They can provide a calming effect in different situations and be trained to complete other tasks based on the needs of the owner.
3. Mobility Service Dog– These dogs help their owners by opening doors or getting at items their owner cannot reach, in some cases, bringing that item to them. They can also be trained to turn lights on and off.
4. Autism Service Dog– These dogs can help the owner take notice of important sounds like a door bell or smoke alarm. The owner can then focus on the most important situation and take action. They can also help distract the owner from overstimulation.
5. Facility Dogs– These dogs work with a health care professional or teacher in an educational setting. They remind me of therapy dogs that are brought by handlers to visit patients in the hospital.   They work with someone who does not live with them in their home. Facility dogs can help with such things as motivating the student or patient to interact in particular situations. The dogs also provide encouragement to the people who come into contact with them.
For more information please visit the following websites:
http://www.mentalhealthdogs.org/Psychiatric-Service-Dogs.html
http://4pawsforability.org/seizure-assistance-dog/
http://pawsitivesolutions.org/
http://www.vetsfwd.org/site/index.php
Thanks for reading..
cr