Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 12-5.
Example photo of a service dog in train-
ing at a grocery store. the vest indicates that the ser-
vice dog is working and/or training. Image courtesy of
http://www.pawsitivityservicedogs.com
There are a number of possible ave-
nues available from agencies throughout
the United States and other parts of the
world to acquire a service dog. Interested
individuals can first start their search by
going to the Assistance Dog International
website (http://www.assistancedogsinterna
tional.org) and conducting a program
search. While there may not be a program
in each state, this website will list nearby
programs. Each program varies slightly,
but they all require completion of an appli-
cation. Some may require a “good faith”
refundable deposit after a fixed length of
time in which the partner demonstrates
that a good symbiotic relationship has
formed and proper care of the dog was
exhibited. The training of a service dog can
take up to 18 months and may be custom-
ized. Certain breeds may be preferred.
Regardless of the type of service ani-
mal (vision, hearing, or other disability),
