Service Dogs Helping Disabled Veterans by Providing a Better Quality of Life

Post Date: January 1, 2018

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Under the ADA, a service dog is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the veteran’s disability.

Promotion of Functional Ability and Independence

• Assistance Dogs complete essential tasks so a person with a disability can return to the community, increase independence and improve their quality of life
• People can live alone and improve and maintain functional ability
• Dog provides help with Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s) such as shopping tasks, fine motor tasks. This leads to less wear and tear on the body
• Decrease the amount of family and hired caregiver hours required by providing concrete physical assistant
• Bringing peace of mind to loved ones of person with disability
• Increased sense of security. Retrieve phone or caregiver. Get help, pull cords

Psychosocial barriers reduced

• Promote improved social interactions
• Promote increased participation in community-based activities.
• A person with disability seems more approachable to others
• Allows the person with disabilities to gain confidence in community reintegration situations
• Decrease loneliness and depression, the dog becomes someone to interact with, a companion, part of the family. Creates a purpose.
• A calming effect; allows the person with disabilities to focus on another not themselves
• Care of the dog decreases stress and anxiety. It provides a sense of responsibility and a daily routine

Physical Barriers Reduced

• Provides physiologic benefits such as lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, and decreased heart rate
• Enhanced levels of dopamine and endorphins, decreased levels of stress hormone cortisol
• The physical warmth and compression of the dog laying on/near you reduces perceived pain levels
• Motivates to adopt long term behavior changes that lead to weight loss and positive health outcomes
• People with disabilities exercise more by taking dogs for a walk, fetch, and grooming activities.

*Information provided by Paws with a Cause: https://www.pawswithacause.org/

*For more information please visit K9 for Warriors, a nonprofit organization devoted to placing service dogs with disabled veterans: https://www.k9sforwarriors.org/