Transcript Service Dogs - Educational Excellence

Service Dogs
Small Animal Management:
130.4(c)1E
What is a Service Dog?
• Defined by the ADA (Americans with
Disabilities Act)
– any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal
individually trained to provide assistance to an
individual with a disability
• Does not require any licensing or certification
What is the ADA?
• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
– Gives civil rights protections to individuals with
disabilities that are like those provided to
individuals on the basis of race, sex, national
origin, and religion.
– It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals
with disabilities in employment, public
accommodations, transportation, State and local
government services, and telecommunications.
What is a disability?
• Defined by the ADA
– A person who has a physical or mental impairment
that substantially limits one or more major life
activities
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Hearing
Seeing
Walking
Eating
Breathing
Communicating
Etc.
Service Dog Access
• Under the ADA, service dogs are permitted
anywhere the public would normally be
allowed
• Staff at any facility may only ask two question
in regard to the service animal
– Is the dog a service animal required because of a
disability
– What work or task has the dog been trained to
perform
Owning a Service Dog
• Most dogs are trained through specialized programs
that can take up to two years of training
• Service dogs often cost $20,000 to acquire because of
the time needed to train them
– Many programs will raise funds to reduce or eliminate the
cost
• Programs will match dogs to handler based on needs,
size, age, and leadership style
• Handlers will usually be required to go through a
training process as well at the programs facilities
Types of Service Dogs
• Severe Allergy Alert (AAD)
• Autism Assistance
• Brace/Mobility Support
(BMSD)
• Diabetic Alert (DAD)
• Hearing
• Medical Alert (MAD)
• Psychiatric Service (PSD)
• Seizure Response
• Visual Assistance (Guide
Dog)
• Wheelchair Assistance
Severe Allergy Alert Dog (AAD)
• Alerts handler to life-threatening allergens
• Dog may wear a vest with pockets containing
emergency instructions or medications
• Often paired with children
Autism Assistance Dog
• Same category as Sensory
Processing Disorder Dogs
• Calm and provide safety
to individuals on the
Autism spectrum
– Dogs presence can help
with emotional incidents
by touching or applying
deep pressure to the
handler
– Dogs may be tethered to
child to prevent wandering
Brace/Mobility Support Dog (BMSD)
• Assist individuals with mobility and balance
issues
– Provides physical support or bracing
– Assists in day-to-day tasks like opening doors and
retrieving objects
• Wears specially designed harness to help with
bracing
• Dogs must be at least 55 pounds and 23” tall
– Dogs should be larger for bigger handlers
Diabetic Alert Dog (DAD)
• Alerts handler when they are experiencing
dangerously low blood sugar
– Dogs can detect chemical odor released by a
hypoglycemic person
• Some dogs are capable of dialing 911 through
specialized alert devices
• Dogs usually carry in their vest emergency
protocol and contacts
Hearing Dog
• Alerts Deaf handler to
important sounds
– May notify handler of
phone ringing, alarms,
doorbell, baby crying, or
traffic
• Some states designate
the color orange as
reserved for these dogs’
vests
Medical Alert Dog (MAD)
• Alert handler to dangerous physiological
changes
– Blood pressure, hormone levels
• Similar to diabetic alert dog
• Difficult to train dogs to detect the precursors
to these medical conditions
Medical Assistance Dog
• Wide ranging title for dogs who do not fit into
a specific category
• Sometimes used when handler does not want
to go into detail about disability
• Variety of functions served
Psychiatric Service Dog (PSD)
• Assist handlers with disabilities
like anxiety, depression, or Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Performs tasks such as:
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Interrupting unhealthy behaviors
Room searches (PTSD)
Guide a disoriented handler
Get help or medication
• Different than Emotional
Support Animals (ESAs) and
Therapy Dogs
– These are not protected by the
ADA
Seizure Response Dog
• Responds to a handlers seizures
– Apply deep pressure during seizure
– Get help or medication
– Act as a brace
• Cannot be trained to detect seizures
– But some dogs may develop the intuition to
detect and alert their handler
Visual Assistance Dog
• Also known as guide dogs
• Assist handlers with visual
impairments
• Dog is trained to safely navigate
with handlers commands
– Will disobey command that is
unsafe to handler
• Wears U-shaped harness
• White is the designated color
for these dogs
• Usually are larger breeds
– Commonly Golden Retrievers,
Labradors, and German
Shepherds
Wheelchair Assistance Dog
• Assist handlers that may
be confined to a
wheelchair
• Retrieves objects, opens
doors, helps move to
and from the
wheelchair
• May wear special
harness to pull
wheelchair
Other Service Animals
• Miniature Horses
– Can replace guide dogs
– Have excellent vision
– Live longer than dogs
• Less emotional and
financial burden
– Also used for mobility
support
Other Service Animals
• Capuchin Monkeys
– Assists with performing
manual tasks
– Can perform more
advanced tasks
• Operate electronics, flip
pages, open containers
– Generally used by
people with mobility
that is highly limited
– Live longer than dogs
Other Service Animals
• Exotic animals that have been reported being
used as service animals
– Ferrets
– Boa Constrictors
– Parrots
– Pot-bellied Pigs
What is an Emotional Support Animal
(ESA)?
• Not a service animal by definition of ADA
• Requires registration
• A person's pet that has been prescribed by a person's
licensed therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist as part
of their treatment
• Can be any animal that brings comfort or minimize
negative symptoms of an emotional/psychological
disability
• ESAs are permitted to live on residential properties
regardless of pet policies and fees
• ESAs are permitted to accompany owners on flights
What is a Therapy Animal?
• Not a service animal
• Requires registration
• Provides affection and comfort to people to
people in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, etc…
• Therapy animals require permission to enter
facilities that do not allow animals
• Therapy Animals do not have any protection
under the ADA