More and more service animals—specifically dogs— are being spotted everywhere we go. Service animals are very useful in helping individuals with the various things they struggle with. Service dogs or service animals are defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as “dogs (or other animal species) that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.” The disabilities stated include blindness, deafness, loss of limb and paralysis, as well as physical diseases such as epilepsy and diabetes. Further, service animals called “emotional support animals” can help with emotional illnesses such as anxiety and can comfort those with emotional or mental illnesses.
The ADA National Network defines a service animal as “Any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not considered service animals.”
“The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual’s disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to:”
- Assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks.
- Alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds.
- Providing non-violent protection or rescue work.
- Pulling a wheelchair.
- Assisting an individual during a seizure.
- Alerting individuals to the presence of allergens.
- Retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone.
- Providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities.
- Helping individuals with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors.
Specifically, service animals are trained to do the things in certain aspects of life that a disabled person can’t. For instance, these animals can get clothes, open doors, navigate routes, etc. Even more amazing is the animals that help individuals deal with seizures, anxiety, diabetes, or even OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). These animals are trained to know and sense the beginning of a medical episode and warn individuals so they can take measure to prevent or lessen what is about to happen. Having a service animal can reduce stress, soothe individuals, and for many individuals-having a service animal can give emotional support.
Service Animals and Recovery
Studies are showing more and more that service animals could positively impact those delaying with addiction recovery. This good news shows that the soothing impact of an animal companion can stop triggers, can sense oncoming anxiety attacks, and many more things to benefit those in recovery.
Many service animals help addicts make it through recovery one day at a time. Taking care of someone else needs is also good for those in recovery and feeling unconditionally loved gives them an immense amount of support in return. The reciprocal relationship of having an animal that is helping to take care of an addict while the addict takes care of the animal is shown to be very beneficial. Service animals don’t judge based on a person’s past and are more than happy to forge a new future together with those they are helping through recovery. Many find that having a service animal is the final piece that gives them purpose as well as hope during their addiction recovery.
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