How Service Animals Help Humans Live Fuller Lives

Hearing dogs have become more prevalent in recent years. These dogs, usually mixed-breed rescues from animal shelters, are trained to alert their human partners to ordinary sounds, such as an alarm clock, a baby’s cry, or a telephone.  The dogs raise the alert by touching the partner with a paw and then leading him or her to the source of the sound.  They are also taught to recognize danger signals like fire alarms and sounds of intruders and to raise the alarm by touching with one paw and then lying down in a special "alert" position so their human partner can take the necessary action. Dog training can be used for a wide range of assistance tasks.

 Service Dogs for America (SDA)/Great Plains Assistance Dogs Foundation, Inc., for instance, trains many different kinds of assistance animals. These include hearing dogs, seizure-alert or seizure-response dogs, which help people with seizure disorders by activating an electronic alert system when symptoms occur (some can even predict the onset of a seizure), and therapeutic companion dogs, which provide emotional support for people who are in hospices, hospitals, and other Many programs train and certify pet animals, especially dogs and cats, as therapy animals who visit such institutions and bring much-welcomed companionship to patients.

 Animals are also used in programs such as animal-assisted therapy (AAT).  In the words of the Australia-based Delta Society, AAT is a “goal-directed intervention” that utilizes the motivating and rewarding presence of animals, facilitated by trained human professionals, to help patients make cognitive and physical improvements.  For example, an elderly patient in a nursing home might be given the task of buckling a dog’s collar or feeding small treats to a cat, activities that enhance fine motor skills.  Goals are set for the patients, and their progress is measured.  Dogs and cats are not the only animals that can assist humans with disabilities. 

  Capuchin monkeys—small, quick, and intelligent—can help people who are paralyzed or have other severe impairments to their mobility, such as multiple sclerosis.  These monkeys perform essential tasks such as turning on lights and picking up dropped objects.  The guide horse is one of the more unusual aid animals. In the United States, a pilot program teaches miniature horses to guide visually impaired people in the same way that guide dogs do. People who are allergic to dogs or who come from equestrian backgrounds and are more at ease around horses might want to consider the miniature horses as an alternative. 

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class="MsoNormal">Certain dogs and other animals have special skills similar to those of the seizure-assistance dogs, such as the ability to detect a diabetic’s drop in blood sugar and alert the person before danger occurs.  The sometimes uncanny natural abilities of animals can benefit humans in many ways.  Reputable organizations that train assistance animals also take steps to ensure that the animals are cherished and lead rewarding, enjoyable, and healthy lives.  When the animals’ helping careers are over, provision is made for their well-deserved retirement.

Writer: Binod Kumar Simkhada 

binodkumarsimkhada315@gmail.com