15 % of all pet purchases are donated to the ASPCA
The Americans With Disabilities Act guarantees people with disabilities the right to be accompanied by a service animal in all areas open to the general public. Service animal means any assistance dog or other animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability.
Main Categories of Service Animals
Guide Assistance Animals
Guide dogs help the blind/visually impaired to see in their everyday lives. Guide dogs assist by stopping their human companion before crossing streets and making sure the streets are safe to cross, by avoiding obstacles such as signs, cars, and other people, and by helping their companion locate things.
Orthopedically Impaired
Assistance Animals
Orthopedically Impaired
Assistance Animals open and close doors, open and close refrigerators, turn on and
off lights, retrieve items from the floor, answer telephones, carry objects,
assist in pulling wheelchairs up inclines or rough terrain, assist in
transfers, assist in balance and walking, provide a distress signal, and/or
bark aggressively to repel aggressive persons.
Hearing Impaired
Assistance Animals
Hearing dogs provide the sense of sound to their hearing impaired companions. These dogs can be trained to alert a person to a smoke alarm, door knock or bell, telephone, alarm clock, kitchen timer, baby cry, or the persons own name. A hearing dog may wear an orange collar and leash or a vest. A variety of breeds are used as hearing dogs, since intelligence and trainability are more important than strength and size.
Seizure Alert Assistance Animals
Some animals can be trained to recognize specific changes preceding an epileptic seizure in people. These animals, usually dogs, can provide a signal that acts as a useful warning to their human companion. Dogs may alert people by whining, licking the owner, and alerting others to their special companions impending seizure. This alerting behavior allows the owner to get to a safe place or in a safe position before the onset of the seizure.
Emotional Support Animals
An emotional support animal (ESA) is a US legal term for a pet which provides therapeutic benefit to its owner through companionship and affection. Emotional support animals are not specially trained to ameliorate a disability as psychiciatric service dogs are. They require only as much training as an ordinary pet requires in order to live peacefully among humans without being a nuisance or a danger to others.
Social Therapy Support Animals
Social/therapy animals provide emotional support in places such as elder care facilities and hospitals. These animals do not have the same legal status as assistance/service animals and are not mentioned in the ADA. Many visiting therapy dogs help physically stimulate people in nursing homes or assisted living facilities by playing ball, being brushed or pet, and going for walks. Although many therapy animals are dogs, any type of animal that is good natured can be used to provide these services. Some animals, including horses, help in reaching people that were once thought unreachable. |
