Therapy Dogs and Visiting Pets
Service Dogs and Other Special Animal
Relationships LinksService dogs are partnered with a specific individual for the purpose of helping that individual with a disability. When service dogs are admitted to places that exclude other dogs it is not the dog that is getting a special privilege. The special privilege belongs to the person who relies upon the dog. If the person with the dog is not the person in need of service then ordinary dog rules apply.
Some of the links below explain what a service dog is and how it is distinguished from a dog that merely does good deeds. Some of the links will lead to help in locating or training service dogs, others explain the rules on access rights for people using service animals. And finally there is a list of books and videos relating to everything from training to legal rights to just feel good stories and discussion groups for sharing and information.
Explains what guide dogs do, how they're trained, where they come from and more.
Information in pamphlet form on access rights for those using service animals. Covers such topics as the fact that the person need not identify or prove the nature of their disability to get access, that the person need not provide proof that the animal is a service animal, but that even a service animal can be excluded when an individual animal represents a direct safety hazard. Although designed for New York it will generally apply throughout the United States - though some specifics will differ.
Information on assistance animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Covers commonly asked questions about service animals in places of business.
A nonprofit, cross-disability organization representing people partnered with guide, hearing and service dogs. Has some really excellent information for sorting out the various rules. See Getting through the Maze (Caroom)
The Assistance Dog Institute raises and trains service dogs. We also have a college program where people can earn an Associate of Science degree in either Assistance Dog Training or Human-Canine Life Sciences. When lasted visited the web site did not provide full access.
Lists schools by state with links to web sites or e-mail as available. The home page is a commercial site offering dog packing, service dog, and search and rescue dog equipment.
Assistance Dogs of America, Inc. locates, trains and places highly skilled service and therapy dogs with disabled adults and children to help them become more independent. ADAI is dedicated to training 'throwaway' dogs rescued from animal shelters, and/or dogs donated by pet owners.
A list of guide and service dog organizations.
Susquehanna Service Dogs breeds or acquires, raises, trains and provides service dogs to assist people with disabilities to become more independent.
The program is designed to reach many of the physically challenged, who can then expand their world and enrich their lives through the use of an Assistance Dog. Dogs trained are as Service Dogs, Hearing Dogs, and Companion Dogs.
Describes a variety of assistance dogs. Information on training standards, public access, conferences and more. It includes information on therapy/social dogs. These dogs are not household pets taken out for visits but or are in the nature of "staff" to a facility - that is they either reside at the facility or spend most of their waking hours there.
A treasure trove of information on all kinds of service dogs. General information on which dogs qualify as service dogs, legal issues, training, selection etc. A good place to start if you are just starting to gather information
From the International Cyberzine for Working Dogs, some general information and resources on hearing dogs.
Assistance Dogs Europe is an umbrella organisation of the national assistance dog organisations across Europe. Assistance Dogs Europe has been registered as an international not-for-profit organisation in Belgium. The Key Aims of Assistance Dogs Europe are as follows: To provide a practical network to support the development of assistance dog programmes throughout Europe. To set up Europe-wide standards that assistance dog programmes work to. To provide a European accreditation system for assistance dog programmes that meet the agreed standards. To lobby for common access rights for assistance dog partnerships across Europe based on agreed standards that define a registered assistance dog. To ensure that the highest possible welfare standards are in place for all assistance dogs and to use the status accorded to assistance dogs to encourage responsible dog ownership amongst the general public.
The San Francisco SPCA Hearing Dog Program has been transforming dogs abandoned in Northern California animal shelters into hardworking helpers who lead new lives of love and service. This site gives more information on the program.
Sam Simon Foundation is a nonprofit organization that trains rescued dogs to become Hearing Dogs for people deaf and hard of hearing living in California. Dogs that are in training visit Senior Assisted Living homes as part of our Pet Visitation Program.
An excellent overview. Explains what a seizure alert dog does, how to select one, and how to evaluate training programs.
An article abstract on serisure alert dogs. The full article is available by subsciption only. See the page for details. I'm not a subscriber so I haven't seen the full article.
Pup Abilities Dog Training School carefully breeds, selects, and trains, quality miniature Labradoodles to serve as psychiatric service dogs for people who qualify under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), to use a specially trained dog to help them overcome challenges caused by their psychiatric disability
The Psychiatric Service Dog Society (PSDS) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to responsible Psychiatric Service Dog (PSD) education, advocacy, research and training facilitation.
Trains therapy dogs for volunteer work and for working in a mental health setting.
Also trains psychiatric service dogs and works with the clients who need them.
CaPR trains service dogs for "mobility limited" Colorado residents to facilitate greater independence with activities of daily living.
Trains and places service dogs, seizure alert dogs, home companions and residential (community) companions.
Trains a variety of service dogs including seizure alert dogs.
Located in the UK this organization helps people train their own dogs to become assistance dogs.
An explanation of the various kinds of service dogs. Includes dogs called "social dogs" for helping people avoid isolation.
A very complete description of this program based in San Rafael, California. This site answers many of the most common questions about guide dogs, how they are bred, raised and trained.
Offers information and resources on guide dogs. The FAQ pages contains a list of guide dog and service dog organizations and resources.
Students Training Animals: Role Therapy: A program created to help students with behavior disorders learn to control their own behaviors by learning how to train dogs.
An e-mail based discussion list on training your own dog to be an assistance dog. Covers other disability related topics as well.
Read on the web or by email. The purpose of the list is to share information about how to select and train (or maintain training) of service and assistance dogs. Since the focus is owner-trained there is obviously no expectation that subscribers are professionals or experienced dog trainers.
This site lists a number of email and discussion group lists on service dogs and assistance dogs.
Train your own dog basic skills like targeting as well as more advanced skills such as retrieving, scent discrimination, and assisting with tasks of daily living. Useful for people with disabilities seeking to train their pet dog or an assistance dog, and is equally important for the professional pet dog trainer who would like to more effectively work with clients with disabilities.
Teaches people with physical disabilities how to train their own dogs to become fully certified service dogs. Also has books and videos available.
For individuals with disabilities partnered with Assistance Dogs and the trainers of Assistance Dogs. State-by-state laws.
Simple step-by-step program and illustrative pictures show how dog owners can have a smoke alarm trained dog in just a few weeks.
Teaches people with physical disabilities to train their dogs in basic obedience as a foundation for service dog training!
Demonstrates how to teach a dog service exercises such as retrieving dropped objects, pulling a wheelchair, etc. to assist a person with a disability.
This video/DVD will show you how to teach your dog basic obedience commands, offering various techniques and methods that will work for people who are ambulatory, people who use canes, crutches, or walkers, people in manual wheelchairs and people who use power chairs.
Everything from history, descision to get a service dog, application, legal issues, and living with a service dog.
Hearing Dog: The Story of Jenny and Connie
Through Otis' Eyes; Lessons from a Guide Dog Puppy
| DogPlay's Visiting Pet Stuff |
Check the other articles on therapy dogs, visiting pets and
related topics.
Also see Books and Publications - How to train your dog, how to start a program, and more.
Help finding information of visiting pets and therapy dogs
Lost? PageList lists all the DogPlay pages.
Check the Help page. 
Visit the DogPlay Mall.
Fun designs on T-Shirts,
sweatshirts, mugs, buttons, stickers and more. Special sections for therapy dogs, rescue
dogs, herding and dog agility.
Copyright © 1997-2003,
Diane Blackman
Created: January 5, 1997
Updated January 1, 2008
