Member-only story
Public Service
A Service Dog Without Its Owner Could Mean The Owner is in Danger
Service dogs are trained to take specific actions when required
I had a recent conversation about Service Dogs with an old colleague of mine. She mentioned that most people, including me, do not understand how to work with Service Dogs or understand the support they provide their owners.
I've since fixed my ignorance and decided to share what I've learned.
My friend has a family member who has a Service Dog. He needs it due to a neurological disease that sometimes creates severe reactions and communication problems. The illness is not critical enough to keep him bedridden. He is mobile, active, and is out and about the community on any given day. But certain risk factors trigger his condition, thus one of the needs for a Service Dog.
He and his dog have been companions for a few years. The dog is trained to intervene, seek help and alert other people if his owner becomes incapacitated.
In most cases, when his condition triggers, he recognizes the symptoms, finds a place to sit down, takes some medication, and rests for 15 minutes. The dog's presence provides a calming effect helping him recover.
