If you’re living with a disability in Florida, it might be worth training your new pooch (or new puppy) to become a service dog. Not only do these lovable creatures provide invaluable assistance with everyday tasks, but they also receive legal protections under federal and state laws.
Although there are no formal certification or registration requirements, a canine must be adequately trained to qualify as a service dog.
Florida Statute 413.08 provides similar protections for individually trained animals that assist a person with a disability. Unlike the ADA, Florida law also covers service dogs during the training process as well, granting them the same rights as a fully trained animal. Therefore, a person with a disability may bring a partially trained service animal into any public accommodation.
Choosing an appropriate service dog trainer is the first step, towards turning a canine companion into a bonafide service animal.
6 Types of Service Dogs
1. Psychiatric service dog: These dogs provide aid for owners living with psychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mental afflictions. Psychiatric dogs can remind their owners to take medications, interrupt panic attacks, or help adjust the environment (like turning on/off light switches) to produce a calming effect.
2. Hearing dog: Hearing dogs are assigned to those who are deaf or hard of hearing, and can alert their owners to a baby’s cry, the doorbell, or a ringing phone.
3. Mobility assistance dogs: These kinds of dogs are able to fetch or carry things for their owners who may be in a wheelchair or limited in their movement in another capacity due to anything from arthritis to spinal cord injuries.
4. Alert dogs: Alert dogs are specially trained to notify their owners who have disorders like diabetes or seizures of changes to their conditions. Some dogs can detect a drop in blood sugar levels through scent, or alert owners who are about to have a seizure. They can also be trained to respond to those having a seizure, alerting others for help nearby, or bringing medication or a phone to someone who has just experienced a seizure.
5. Autism support dogs: Autism support dogs help children with autism feel less isolated and comfort them in times of stress, confusion, or other emotional problems. Autism support dogs work as icebreakers for kids who have trouble socializing or connecting, and keep them away from distractions or running away.
6. Allergy detection dogs: Allergy detection dogs, or anaphylaxis service dogs, are able to sniff out potential allergens like peanuts, gluten, or other ingredients that may be potentially harmful to its owner.