BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — National Service Dog Month has been honored every September since 2008. The month exists to appreciate and bring light to the work that service dogs do.
Service dog handler Amanda has had her service dog, Charlie, for two and a half years. Amanda and Charlie have an Instagram account called charlie.the.service.doodle, where they create content about service animals and disability awareness.
“There is no one specific way to go about getting a service dog,” Amanda said. “The process really depends on what you’re looking for and your financial situation. You can purchase a fully trained service animal, adopt a puppy and hire a trainer, put your dog in a board and train program or train a service dog yourself.”
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Amanda also explained the importance of service dogs as medical tools.
“I wish more people understood that needing a service dog isn’t a trend. Service animals are usually not a first option for disabled individuals, and they are extremely important for improving the safety and quality of life for the individual,” Amanda said. “Service dog handlers are not taking their dogs with them for attention. They are using them as a lifesaving medical tool.”
Elizabeth Morgan, owner of Alabama Dog Academy, has been training dogs for 20 years. She has been training service dogs specifically for 17 years.
“I worked in Texas with a service dog nonprofit called Service Dogs Inc., and I was there for 10 years,” Morgan said. “Then, I moved back here, and I’ve been running my own business training service dogs for the past seven years.”
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Morgan explained some of the differences between basic dog training and the training that service dogs go through.
“Service dogs have to be able to do their job and focus, even with all the distractions of being in public with humans. So people and noises and sights and smells, they have to still be able to focus enough on their job to be able to do the jobs their person needs them to do,” Morgan said. “A pet dog is usually just around their house and familiar areas, and they can do what they’re trained to do there, but they don’t have all those crazy distractions that a service dog does.”
Amanda and Morgan explained the independence that service dogs allow their handlers to have.
“If someone has a mobility disability, and they can’t open a door, they would have to wait until they can ask someone to open it for them,” Morgan said. “If they drop their keys, they may not be able to just pick them up. They have to wait for someone to come and pick them up for them. The dog gives them a lot of independence, so that they don’t have to reply on other people and strangers to help them. They can just do it themselves. That independence is one of the biggest things that service dogs can provide for people.”
“Service dogs provide more independence for disabled individuals and allow them another chance at living a more ‘normal’ life,” Amanda said.
When it comes to service dogs, one important thing for people to keep in mind is etiquette.
“Since service animals are working dogs or miniature horses and are considered medical equipment, harassing and interfering with them can be extremely dangerous for the animal and the handler,” Amanda said. “In most states, harassing a working service animal is punishable by a fine and/or a misdemeanor charge. The best thing to do if you see a service animal in public is to ignore them. They are doing an important job to keep their handler safe.”
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