August 10-16 has been officially designated as National Assistance Dog Week
CRAWFORD, Colo., Aug. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- August 10-16 has been officially designated as National Assistance Dog Week to honor the more than 20,000 dogs that assist people with disabilities. Their work ranges from guide to hearing dogs: from assisting those with mobility problems to alerting for sudden onset diseases like seizures or diabetes. Literally and figuratively, assistance dogs have been opening doors for their partners since the early 1920s. With a service dog helper, people who were unable to leave their home can travel, go shopping, attend classes, or pursue employment. Federal laws assure that their dog is allowed access on public transportation and in public places. A service dog recipient is even guaranteed equal housing accommodation under the Fair Housing Act. Therefore, it is important for anyone working in the public sector to be informed about these valuable canines and the laws regarding their use.
Three-time service dog recipient Marcie Davis of New Mexico states that, with her dog, "All of a sudden the impossible seems possible. Virtually every area in your personal and professional life can be expanded and explored ... Whatever you dreamed of accomplishing can be realized with the assistance of a service dog." The dogs are specially trained for the needs of each recipient. They perform tasks such as opening doors, picking up dropped objects, helping a person with mobility issues, retrieving keys or even taking clothes out of the dryer. Success stories of service dog recipients abound. Her dog enabled Ms. Davis to pursue a career as president of Davis Innovations, a consulting firm specializing in health and human services.
More information about these amazing canines -- their work, training, laws governing their use, and where and how to apply for a service dog -- can be found in "Working Like Dogs: The Service Dog Guidebook" by Marcie Davis and Melissa Bunnell (Alpine Publications, 2007) at
http://www.workinglikedogs.com/ or
http://www.alpinepub.com/.
Contact:
Tammy Hayes, Assistant to the Publisher
Alpine Publications, Inc.
38262 Linman Rd.
Crawford, CO 81415
970-921-5005
Fax: 970-921-5081
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Source: Alpine Publications, Inc.
CONTACT: Tammy Hayes, Assistant to the Publisher of Alpine Publications,
Inc., +1-970-921-5005, or fax, +1-970-921-5081
Web site:
http://www.alpinepub.com/ http://www.workinglikedogs.com/ Press release posted by Brandi Bennett, Best Friends Network StaffPhoto, unrelated to story, courtesy of Best Friends Animal Society