Some of the common titles of Medical alert / respond Animals are Diabetic, Seizure, and Psychiatric just to name a few.
The first Seizure Alert Dog was introduced in the late 1980's. Seizure Alert Animals are especially helpful for people who have drop seizures, which occur without warning and often cause injury. They are trained, to respond during and / or after such episodes, corresponding to the titles mentioned above.
These Animals are taught specialized behaviors based on the type of seizure their owner experiences. (e.g. picking up medicine, opening doors for emergency help, summon help, retrieving a phone or calling 911.) But most importantly for individuals with convulsions, which are sometimes violent in nature, these wonderful animals help get their partner safely to the ground to prevent injury. This maybe taught by tugging on a sleeve or pants, licking ones hand or laying his / her head on their partners lap, etc.
Many of these wonderful animals also have the natural ability to alert to oncoming medical disorders such as a seizure as far as 1 hour before hand.
Scientist cannot agree as to why this natural phenomenon happens. Some have stated that it's because an animal may sense or smell the change in body chemistry of a person. Others says its just an unknown reason. Whatever the case may be these animals have the ability to alert!
Service Animals Chat : Register Here
Friday, May 9, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Psychiatric Animals
Although it is not clear, possibly in the late 1990's, w
hen the first Psychiatric Service Animal (ie dog) came to play. Nevertheless these service animals are taught to assist those with severe mental disabilities. The various types of conditions are but not limited to: Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar (a.k.a. Manic Depression Disorder), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Anxiety Disorder (a.k.a. Panic Attack Disorder), Autism, Severe Depression and Schizophrenia.
These individuals carry with them a risk of losing consciousness due to hyperventilation. Therefore Psychiatric Service Animals are taught to relentlessly wake their handler by nipping, licking, or even heavy breathing in the individuals face or ear. They also are taught to retrieve items, being focused on their handlers due to memory loss, brace / counter-balancing due to dizziness and or weakness from medication side effects, find keys and phones as well as other items and call 911 in case of an emergency! They also are taught to interrupt repetitive behaviours while trying to keep the individual calm in stressful situations that maybe normal for others. (eg paranoia or hallucinations). The list goes on as many tasks are similar to other types of Service Animals! This depends on an individuals needs.These wonderful Animals are also considered as a Medical Alert-Respond Animal due to the similarity of their tasks.
In today society there are other types of Psychiatric animals (i.e cats, monkeys, etc.) that provides the same benefits and assistance to individuals with mental disabilities (ie invisible disabilities).
Service Animal Chat: Register Here
hen the first Psychiatric Service Animal (ie dog) came to play. Nevertheless these service animals are taught to assist those with severe mental disabilities. The various types of conditions are but not limited to: Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar (a.k.a. Manic Depression Disorder), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Anxiety Disorder (a.k.a. Panic Attack Disorder), Autism, Severe Depression and Schizophrenia.These individuals carry with them a risk of losing consciousness due to hyperventilation. Therefore Psychiatric Service Animals are taught to relentlessly wake their handler by nipping, licking, or even heavy breathing in the individuals face or ear. They also are taught to retrieve items, being focused on their handlers due to memory loss, brace / counter-balancing due to dizziness and or weakness from medication side effects, find keys and phones as well as other items and call 911 in case of an emergency! They also are taught to interrupt repetitive behaviours while trying to keep the individual calm in stressful situations that maybe normal for others. (eg paranoia or hallucinations). The list goes on as many tasks are similar to other types of Service Animals! This depends on an individuals needs.These wonderful Animals are also considered as a Medical Alert-Respond Animal due to the similarity of their tasks.
In today society there are other types of Psychiatric animals (i.e cats, monkeys, etc.) that provides the same benefits and assistance to individuals with mental disabilities (ie invisible disabilities).
Service Animal Chat: Register Here
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Service Animals ~ That's Who !
All of these Animals are confident, friendly, intelligent, and enjoy working. The most meaningful characteristic of a good service animal is to Intelligently Disobey when a situation poses a danger.
The training whether be school, private trainers or owner-training consists of three stages: 1. Puppy (12 - 15 months Basics and Socialization), 2. Formal Task Training (4 - 6 months). This is a more intense training period which would consist of fine tuning as it were for the individuals needs. 3. Continuing Bonding, Growing, and Training in which all handlers should do for their needs will continue to change and so will the need to teach new tasks or modify the old ones.
Today there are approximately 20,000 service dogs / Animals working in the USA alone with the numbers rising in the next decade. This awakens ones appreciation of existence more than seeing someone who would otherwise have little or no hope of making a significant contribution to life; able to go to work, to live alone and to truly feel and be a part of ones community.
Service Animal Chat: Register Here
The training whether be school, private trainers or owner-training consists of three stages: 1. Puppy (12 - 15 months Basics and Socialization), 2. Formal Task Training (4 - 6 months). This is a more intense training period which would consist of fine tuning as it were for the individuals needs. 3. Continuing Bonding, Growing, and Training in which all handlers should do for their needs will continue to change and so will the need to teach new tasks or modify the old ones.
Today there are approximately 20,000 service dogs / Animals working in the USA alone with the numbers rising in the next decade. This awakens ones appreciation of existence more than seeing someone who would otherwise have little or no hope of making a significant contribution to life; able to go to work, to live alone and to truly feel and be a part of ones community.
Service Animal Chat: Register Here
Service Animal Etiquette
Service~Assistance Animals / Dogs and Dogs in Training have special rules. Please remember that all working service animals are allowed in public and in some places dogs in training have protected access also. Some things that will help service Animal handlers and / or trainers including puppy raisers are:
DO’S AND DON’TS
DO’S AND DON’TS
Please Do Not talk to the dog or call its name or make any animal noises such as meowing, barking or kissing noises. (don’t distract a working animal in any way.)
Do allow the Assistance Animal and the individual to work as a team without any distractions.
Never offer food or toys to a service animal. This may cause digestive and / or behavior problems. They have their own special diet and time. Nor pet the animal without permission first from the handler, nor send children to pet a service animal.. Never tell children service dog bites.
Do speak to the person and not to their dog when greeting an Service Animal Team.
Do allow the Assistance Animal and the individual to work as a team without any distractions.
Never offer food or toys to a service animal. This may cause digestive and / or behavior problems. They have their own special diet and time. Nor pet the animal without permission first from the handler, nor send children to pet a service animal.. Never tell children service dog bites.
Do speak to the person and not to their dog when greeting an Service Animal Team.
Do Not interfere with the handler, he or she is trained to humanely correct their dog when a mistake has been made.
Do understand that releasing their dog to greet might distract the dogs attentiveness to their partner.
Do Not be insulted if touching the Service Animal is Not Allowed.
We Thank You!!!
Service Animals Chat: Register Here
Summery of the ADA, State & FHA Laws
ADA Rules & Regulations:
Regarding Service Animals!!
The Federal Civil Rights Law, ADA, defines a service animal as any animal that is individually trained to perform tasks to benefit an individual with a disability (the disabilities might not be visible) (Title III 4.2300).
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 28, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 36, Section 36,104 & Sections 36.302, guarantees a person who is disabled the legal right to be accompanied by a service animal in all areas opened to the general public.
The ADA prevails over any Conflicting State / Local Laws, or those Laws that provide lesser protection against discrimination. Public accommodations ARE NOT PEMITTED to Require any Type of Identification or Certification of Status to be shown (Title III 4.1300).
For more information contact: ADA Home
Add One's Local and State Laws!!!
There are some State and Local Statutes that has some additional benefits pertaining to Service Dogs! (eg Service dog in training; Emotional Support Dogs, etc.) Unfortunately they do not have additional set rules when it comes to other types of Animals!
Fair Housing Act:
Federal Register Part III
(24 CFR PART 5)
Pg. 2-43: Sec. 6: Some individuals with handicaps may use an assistive animals. Pg. 2-57: Examples of Prohibited Actions: Owners and their Representatives are prohibited from *Preventing a tenant from using assistive devices, auxiliary alarms or guides. (504 & FHA) Pg. 4-10 & 4-14: Pet ownership in housing for the elderly or handicapped: (b) Service Animals that assist persons with disabilities are considered to be auxiliary aids and are exempt from the pet policy and from the refundable pet deposit.
(24 CFR 100)
3. Assistive Animals... (update 2007-12-28) Assistive animals are animals that serve as a reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities by assisting those individuals in some identifiable way by making it possible for them to make more effective use of their housing. Such animals are often referred to as "service animals, assistive animals, support animals, or therapeutic animals” and may include any animal that actually performs tasks or a service for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with hearing impairments to intruders or sounds, pulling a wheelchair, fetching items or providing emotional support to persons with mental disabilities. Regular pet policies do not apply to assistive animals...
For More Information Contact: Fair Housing Act
Service Animal Chat: Register Here
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)