If youB次元官网网址檝e read news accounts of emotional support animals and wondered if the world is literally going to the dogs (as well as peacocks, hamsters and even alligators), youB次元官网网址檙e not alone.
Tara Doherty, the communications manager for the Pacific Assistance Dog Society, is concerned the increasing movement to accept all manner of animals into public places on the premise that they provide emotional support to their owners is actually hurting the legitimate use of service dogs.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a real problem started down in the U.S. but weB次元官网网址檙e starting to see it up here. Someone will go online and for $25, buy a vest and maybe an ID of some kind and they think that they can now take little Fluffy into the grocery store, into their hotel room, or on an airplane,B次元官网网址� said Doherty.
B次元官网网址淭hen one of our clients tries to go into the grocery and is asked to leave because the management is fed up with the foolishness.B次元官网网址�
Doherty said true service dogs are covered under provincial legislation and require extensive, years-long training and certification.
B次元官网网址淭he dogs are issued with a vest and the owners carry a permit that looks very much like a B.C. driverB次元官网网址檚 license,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淲e actually encourage business owners to ask for the ID because there has been so much abuse of the concept, and weB次元官网网址檇 like it to end.B次元官网网址�
And while thereB次元官网网址檚 no doubt that most pets can provide emotional support, itB次元官网网址檚 very different from a dog who has been trained to support someone suffering from a legitimate disability like PTSD.
B次元官网网址淭here are physical aspects to PTSD that the dogs are trained to recognize B次元官网网址� disorientation or disassociation, for example.
B次元官网网址淭he dog senses what is going on and will guide his owner to a quiet place to sit down and stay with them to offer support,B次元官网网址� said Doherty.
Stephane Marcotte, a 26-year veteran of the Armed Forces, can attest to the indispensable nature of his dog.
B次元官网网址淚 got Sarge 2陆 years ago and he gave me my life back. He goes everywhere with me and itB次元官网网址檚 important that people realize the difference between what he does and whatever it is that an emotional support animal does,B次元官网网址� said Marcotte.
B次元官网网址淪ometimes I have really bad nightmares and Sarge is trained to wake me up. Or he will sense when IB次元官网网址檓 starting to zone out or have an episode and heB次元官网网址檚 there to help me through it.B次元官网网址�
Marcotte added that heB次元官网网址檚 had some pushback from businesses like hotels who have started equating emotional support animals with service dogs.
B次元官网网址淲e need to educate people. Sure, maybe a bunny might comfort you, but so would a teddy bear. ItB次元官网网址檚 not the same as a service dog,B次元官网网址� he said.
Patty Whitehall, speaking on behalf of the Pacific Animal Therapy Society, tends to agree with the concern.
Her organization has provided dogs (and some other animals) to organizations including seniorsB次元官网网址� homes, schools, universities, and hospitals for more than 30 years, but she agreed that the fad of labelling animals as B次元官网网址渆motional supportsB次元官网网址� is counterproductive.
B次元官网网址淲e recognize the value of introducing animals into certain environments to make people feel better, but we realize that our animals are not specially trained and have no special right of access to other locations like grocery stores,B次元官网网址� said Whitehall.
Regardless, PATS still insists that the animals they use in their program are certified by a vet as having an appropriate temperament.
B次元官网网址淎nimals can be wonderful companions and some can provide emotional support, but when people try to equate that with true service dogs, it does a disservice to people who actually need the animals to live their lives,B次元官网网址� said Doherty.
mailto:tim.collins@sookenewsmirror.com
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