Here you will find a work in progress.  I want to devote this spot to information about Service Animals, the Americans with Disabilities Act (explaining your rights as a person with a disability),and resources/excellent websites dedicated to this area of advocacy for the Disabled.  (I’d so appreciate your sending me any links you find helpful!)

A brief summation from The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regarding what a Service Animal is and what your rights/responsibilities as a disabled partner of a Service Animal are is as follows:

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U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division Disability Rights Section

Americans with Disabilities Act
 

ADA Business BRIEF: Service Animals
 

• Service animals are animals that are individually trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities such as guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling wheelchairs, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, or performing other special tasks. Service animals are working animals, not pets.
   
• Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), businesses and organizations that serve the public must allow people with disabilities to bring their service animals into all areas of the facility where customers are normally allowed to go. This federal law applies to all businesses open to the public, including restaurants, hotels, taxis and shuttles, grocery and department stores, hospitals and medical offices, theaters, health clubs, parks, and zoos.
• · Businesses may ask if an animal is a service animal or ask what tasks the animal has been trained to perform, but cannot require special ID cards for the animal or ask about the person's disability.
   
• · People with disabilities who use service animals cannot be charged extra fees, isolated from other patrons, or treated less favorably than other patrons. However, if a business such as a hotel normally charges guests for damage that they cause, a customer with a disability may be charged for damage caused by his or her service animal.
   
• · A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove his service animal from the premises unless: (1) the animal is out of control and the animal's owner does not take effective action to control it (for example, a dog that barks repeatedly during a movie) or (2) the animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others.
   
• · In these cases, the business should give the person with the disability the option to obtain goods and services without having the animal on the premises.
• · Businesses that sell or prepare food must allow service animals in public areas even if state or local health codes prohibit animals on the premises.
   
• · A business is not required to provide care or food for a service animal or provide a special location for it to relieve itself.
• · Allergies and fear of animals are generally not valid reasons for denying access or refusing service to people with service animals.
   
• · Violators of the ADA can be required to pay money damages and penalties.
   
• If you have additional questions concerning the ADA and service animals, please call the Department's ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 (voice) or (800) 514-0383 (TTY) or visit the ADA Business Connection at ada.gov.
   
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While a Service Animal is not a Therapy Animal (although some can be cross trained, as I had once contemplated doing with Lady Fanny), maybe your disability is significant enough to warrant the specialized training of an animal to actually aid you in becoming more independent.

 Think about these things:

What can't you do at all now or have much trouble doing PHYSICALLY that could be done with a bit of physical assistance? Do you have trouble bending to pick stuff up without falling over or getting really dizzy? A service dog could be trained to do that for you. Do you sleep too much? He could wake you once he gets the feel for what "too much" is... if he is a very alert Service dog. Are you lonely? Do you need the soft touch/lick of a CONSTANT COMPANION? (Service Dogs cannot usually leave their person's side. If you leave the dog too often for too long, you will break the bond and the "alertness" that he has toward your particular disability.) Do you need "someone" to force you outside for at least a few minutes each day? Would you go places if you had "someone familiar" to go with you... like to a restaurant, the library, on a trip? (The Service Dog's presence with you to ANY PUBLIC PLACE is protected by Federal, State, County and City laws. He can even accompany you on the airplane NOT isolated to the "pet" compartment! (Be sure to alert the airlines at the time you make your reservation that YOU WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY A [give size] SERVICE DOG. They might have to save a seat next to you [WITHOUT ADDITIONAL CHARGE]!)

You need a doctor who is in support of such a partner and is convinced that such a relationship would help your situation. For many people, a Service Dog is LITERALLY the "person" that provides the secure feeling the disabled person needs in order to get out of the house. Many many fms victims are afraid to leave their homes... brain fog, fear of falling, too much exhaustion, etc. (I trained my own dog first, then asked for a Dr. Order from my Doctor, explaining what a difference Bitterman had made in my life.   As soon as my health care team met him, they realized the curious bond we had.  Bitterman was 100% Service Dog in every way, all business. He never played ball or fetched or wrestled a day in his life.  He was "all about his 'mom.'" GoodOne is very playful with my family and will fetch for me but is becoming more and more "guarded" over me as he matures in age and training. He can't stand not taking naps with me ON MY BED (My husband has NEVER allowed animals in our room before let alone on my bed!!!) and is now showing some anxiety if I ever leave him home with family members while I’m gone for an hour or so.  He has NEVER been left home alone.

What do you need in order to have a Service Dog?

1. You need to want to be accompanied/required of 24/7. THIS ANIMAL IS NOT JUST A CUTE, CONVENIENT PET.

2. You need a trained, socially-appropriate animal (who will be groomed frequently) or train one/groom one yourself if you are into that sort of thing (I very definitely am... in fact, the training/grooming is actually part of my own therapy!)

3. You need a doctor's order or letter explaining the need for such a companion (I have a prescription written out and then minimized that I carry in my wallet) altho YOU DO NOT HAVE TO EXPLAIN YOUR DISABILITY TO ANYBODY. If a business owner or manager challenges your being allowed "to bring a dog in here" (which happens a lot), you would explain that you are disabled and HOW the WORKING animal assists you out in public. That's all you need say. I have had to actually print off federal and state laws (from the Net) and hand them out at times when I anticipated a hassle (both times, it was with my daughter's apartment managers... two different states... both times I blew them away with MY RIGHTS AS A DISABLED AMERICAN and a member if the LARGEST MINORITY GROUP IN THIS COUNTRY!!!) Usually, most places are more than friendly and accommodating once they realize that GoodOne is a Working Dog. Sometimes, I've had to get pretty firm in explaining that Federal Law prevents the establishment from DISCRIMINATION OF A DISABLED PERSON (which anybody with a brain cell knows) and that my Service Animal is required to help minimize my disability.

4. You will need your dog (? monkey or whatever) to be identified as a Service Animal... GoodOne usually wears a bright orange reflector-striped coat with a badge that reads "service animal." He also has a little pocket where he carries "his" business cards!

5. You need to be prepared to be questioned endlessly by Jo Q. Public about your dog. Kids will want to pet him (A HUGE NO NO FOR GoodOne as it distracts him from his work but it was ok for Bitterman because he couldn't care less... he was all focused on me... besides, he was deaf so the touch was a sweet sort of reward to him), adults will want to know IF YOU ARE A DOG TRAINER because, alas, we have an "invisible disability!" Ugh. Folks want to know what sort of dog he is, his name, how old he is, etc. I USE EVERY OPPORTUNITY I AM HEALTHFUL ENOUGH THAT DAY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF to teach the public about FMS/Service Animals. Usually, somebody knows somebody with FMS. Giving them my card with my website addy on it gives them soooo much wonderful info for their Loved Ones.

I think the best thing a person who wants a service animal can do for herself and others, besides, of course, to get one [Look at your local animal rescues first... the emotional reward you’ll get by adopting a homeless friend is immeasurable] and use him, is to BECOME PRO-ACTIVE WITH YOUR ILLNESS. Use the dog as a conversation piece to educate people about fms. (GoodOne's business card [I designed/made my own but you can buy them or print off free ones from different Service Dog web sites] explains fms, the ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act], his job, and gives my website addy. IT'S EXCELLENT ADVOCACY!!!

See what I'm getting at? A Service Animal is an unusual animal who bonds immediately with his "person" in a hyper-vigilant way and succeeds in meeting at least some of that person's needs in order to minimize the negative effects of a disability.

I am developing a keen eye for spotting a person’s "pet" who would make a fantastic Service Animal for that person if he/she ever became disabled. In fact, I've actually seen dogs a few times who really already are SERVICING /SUPPORTING /DIRECTING /GUIDING their person but the disabled person is too silly to realize what he/she has in the "pet!!!"

Hope this answers some of your questions about Service Dogs. I plan to offer more links to Service Dog info as I come across them.  Don’t be afraid to search out info on your own. There is A TON of excellent info out there, even some forums discussing experiences among folks who have Service Animals.

Love and Be Loved,

Fibromom and her pal, GoodOne

LINK S

For assistance in obtaining a trained Service Dog - www.thetowerofhope.org  

LabraDoodle ( a new breed specifically created to be a SERVICE DOG):

http://disc.server.com/Indices/213515.html#12359 (this is the discussion board... very interesting)

also see Breeder's Listing Webpage at www.doodlebreeders.netfirms.com

Grants for Pain Relief (Xolo) Dogs

http://www.pawsforcomfort.com =

Xolos are a breed of dog that can provide the same warmth as a heating pad for relief of chronic pain. Due to their hairlessness, the dogs' heat is easily felt. Dogs weighing more than 12 lbs also provide traction that can contribute to pain relief.

Those interested in obtaining a "hot dog" have a possibility of receiving a grant for a dog. Please visit  www.pawsforcomfort.com for grant criteria, pictures, and the application forms. (Resource: www.fmaware.org)

Info LINKS to

Guardian Dogs for AUTISM VICTIMS

http://www.northstardogs.com/autism.shtml

http://www.4pawsforability.org/autismdogs.htm

http://www.psychdog.org/lifestyle_ChildrenwithAutism.html

http://www.autismservicedogsofamerica.com/Autism.htm

http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Bridge-Developmental-Disabilities-Human-Animal/dp/155753408X
 

Links to Service Dog info for Canada:

Therapeutic Paws of Canada:TPOC - Paws With Love To Share www.tpoc.ca

Camp Dogwould - Your dog would love it! www.campdogwould.ca

Cdn.Assn.Professional Pet Dog Trainers www.cappdt.ca

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