What is an autism service dog?
The Ada refers to a service animal as "
Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples
of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting
people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a
person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness
to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other
duties.
Service animals are working animals, not pets. The
work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related
to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide
comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the
ADA."
Link :
http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm
"Under the ADA, service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or
tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work
or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls."
Link :
http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm
What Is An Autism Service Dog?
Odds are if you are reading this you are already familiar with
autism but for those who may not know, Autism is a complex
neurodevelopment disorder that affect both verbal and non verbal
communication, social skills and sensory processing.
Autism service dogs (also call SSIG or sensory signal alert dogs) are
dogs trained -Tasks- to help an Autistic individuals, these are general
tasks that help with the sensory processing issues many of us
on the
autism spectrum experience. Things such as hearing and guide work may be
taught for individuals who have trouble processing or who are either
over or under responsive in the ares of visual and auditory processing.
Autism service dogs may also be trained to retrieve objects and such
during overload that help the individual communicate or get through the
overload. During overload autism service dogs may also help guide
handler out of a building or to a quiet place where they can safely
recover. Each autism service dog is going to be trained different tasks
based on the needs of the handler.
Unfortunately many
organizations don't train proper autism service dogs and out right
refuse to train them for adults, there are a few that do though. Autism
service dogs can help give an adult with autism independence and
drastically improve the quality of life of autistic individuals.
Things that are not tasks/ do not qualify a dog as a service dog
- Any natural -untrained- behavior
- Guarding handler
- crime deterrent
- Increasing socialization,
- Comforting
- Natural calming presence
- Tethering
- Search and rescue (though a handy side think not really a legal task such as it is define)
- Basic obedience such as sit stay come ect
- Laying under a table
- Emotional support
- Increasing confidence.
- Watching the child or adult
- Helping individual make friends
- Natural untrained alerts
While there is no doubt some of these things listed
above such as natural ale retrying and offering emotional support are
helpful and can have a massive positive impact they are not legally
considered work or tasks. There are others on this list like babysitting
a child or tethering that are not work or tasks and should never be
promoted as such.
Service dogs for children
This
is an extremely complicated and emotionally charged area to talk about,
the truth is this is a really grey area.a lot of parents first look
into autism service dogs as a I way to get help with things they find
challenging with thier children, bolting and wandering be the primary
and some want them to help this kids make friends. As stated above this
is not actually a task or work. Service dogs are not babysitters and
shouldn't be trusted to watch over your child anymore then you trust a
toddler or a wheelchair to babysit your child. A service dog need to
have tasks that help the child. Another issue is that of stewardship
most autistic children simply are not able to steward a dog. while it
is clear and should be common sense a 2-4 year old can't steward thier
own dogs it is also important to remember many older children still
aren't able to do this, Most children with autism can't care for
themselves much less steward thier own dogs. something that is required
by the Ada of any service dog handler, however there we some who will
be great candidates for a service dog and will be able to steward their
own dog and may really benefit from one. so an inability to steward ones
own dog can't be blanketed to all children. So really this needs to be
decided on a case to case basis,
if you are considering a Service dog for yourself or your child here are some things you need to do and consider
you
need to first you need to do is consider Why do you want a service dog?
If you want it for emotional support then you might want to look
instead into an emotional support animal see below. If you want it to
make your job as a parent easier or to serve as a physical anchor to
prevent your child from wandering or bolting off in public then a
service dog really isn't right for you. Please reconsider and or think
of other ways the dog might be trained to help your child!
next
you need to determine if your child can steward their own dog, if not
will you or a staff member be able to be with them at /all/ times that
they are with the dog and the dog is working? when looking for yourself you must be able to steward your own dog or have reliable assistance in the stewardship oof the dog,
What
sorts of things does your child need help with? What can the dog do to
help your child? *remember the dog has to help the child not you as the
parent* it is also important to remember what things do not count as
tasks as many organizations will try to sell you a 5-30,000 dollar SD
based on these non tasks!
Service dogs are expensive
and a /lot/ of work, do you have both the time and money for one of
these dogs? While the benefit from a service dog can be amazing it is
important to remember the cost isn't just what you have to pay or raise
to get the dog it is also the dogs care over a life time, you will need
to pay for vet bills both annual and for any emergencies, food, toys
ect. You will also need to maintain the training which will require
regular daily training session and then find time for exercise and play
for the service dog. Are you able to provide all of this? Do you have
the resources you need to provide this? Are you ready willing and able
to make and to take on such a serous commitment?
Taking
on a service animal is to take full responsibility for the health and
care of this animal over a life time! Eventually the dog will get hurt
or sick and eventually the dog will get old and will need to retire and
sadly will eventually die! What do you plan to do if the dog gets sick,
injured and can't work anymore? What about when it gets old and needs to
be retired? If your answer is to just drop the dog off at some shelter
once it is old and used up a service dog is not right for you! These
dogs need care well into their old age when you takes on a service dog
you are promising to be there until that dogs last days as painful as
they will be.
Getting a service dog isn't like getting a full time babysitter it's like getting a second child!
These are only a few things to consider before getting an autism service dog for your child,
Tethering!
I made this it's own category on purpose
Tethering
is a dangerous practice used by most "autism service dog
organizations" as a method of preventing wandering. While wandering is
an issue I take very serously and something I struggle with as an adult
with autism I can tell you right now this is a very dangerous and
borderline unethical and borderline abusive practice there are risks
to both dog and child!
Note the ADA requires the
handler be in control of their service animal,however tethering puts the
animal in control of the child, which is technically a violation of
that ADA requirement
The Risks
To dog
Injure and strain on the jigs joints When a child suddenly decides to bolt
If
the child is strong enough the dog could end up getting dragged by the
child. Additionally a child who is strong enough could knock the dog
off balance or cause it to stumble should they bolt suddenly . while
this is not a likely occurrence with smaller children kids grow and
become both bigger and stronger.
The dog that is
tethered to a child can't escape and may be injured by a child who is
melting down especially if they are prone to violent outbursts as they
are a close target
To the child
- A fall or physical injury caused when the child tried to bolt and
the dog does as it is train and stop and sits or lays down. The child
who is bolting will rather suddenly be stopped and could become injured
- Service dogs are still dogs, sometimes they make mistakes, should
this happen while a child is tethered to the dog especially if the isn't
a parent holding the dogs leash, known as tripod ding, the child can be
knocked down and possibly dragged by the dog should they try to chase a
squealer.
- Last but not least and the most frightening the child could be
attacked or get caught in the middle of a dog fight! Unfortunately
service dogs have on many occasions been attacked by other dogs while
working, usually by a dog who is off leash or if someone brings their
dog up to try and greet your working dog! A child who is tethered to the
dog when such a thing happens runs the risk of severe physical and
psychological damage!! Are you will to risk having your child tied to a
dog that is being attacked by another dog or animal?
Some organizations also promote tethering more
then one child to a dog, this is out right abuse plain and simple and
will increase risks to both kids and dogs
More info on tethering please read
http://www.servicedogcentral.org/content/node/80
http://animalbehavior.wordpress.com/2008/01/31/kids-with-autism-and-assistance-dogs/
Finding
a proper program is very challenging as many organizations that claim
to train autism service dogs are often placing tether or search and
rescue dogs, often these are what people call cookie cutter dogs and
are sold often on the emotional benefits and don't tend to train tasks
that help the child.
If your an adult looking into
getting an autism service dog it is going to be even harder most
organizations refuse to train service dogs for autistic adults period!
There are a few good ones that do by they are very hard to find!
Alternatives to tethering
As I have stated wandering is an issue that I take /very/ seriously! As an Autistic adult wandering is something I still struggle with regularly and
I know several wonderful Autism parents who have lost amazing children
to wandering. tragic deaths that should never have happened!
however tying a child to a dog is not a safe or good solution! here are
some alternatives ( I will update this as i find new ones)
- have a soft handle attached to the dogs vest for the child to hold on to.
- Have mason alert flyers ready for an emergency with current photo,
child or adults name, age, if they are verbal, nonverbal, semi verbal or
may become non verbal, what they and the best way to approach and
communicate with them, sensory aversions, what not to do and a list of
local hazards and things the child is drawn to like water, Also make
sure to have contacts list a written description and any identifying
features.
- ID on the child such as a medical alert bracelet
- use a stroller if you are able
- tether the child to you and not the dog: if you are still
concerned about bolting and you really need to tie you kid down so they
cant run off tether them to you! you are the parent/caregiver and you
can better understand and take being hit or kicked during a meltdown!
you are also generally stronger than a dog.You are also much less likely
to forget what your doing and try and chase a squirrel!
When looking for a program
Avoid any Program that promotes non tasks as tasks such as
emotional support and natural reducing of meltdowns or says the dogs will be
protective of you or the child
Ask about tasks, ask for examples of tasks they might train
RED FLAG!!!! READ THESE!!! (Be sure to read through and use
this list when evaluating programs!!!)
RED FLAGS: http://servicedogcentral.org/content/node/592
Emotional Support Animals
Emotional
support animals (ESAs) are a great alternative to a service dog, the
handler of an emotional support animal doesn't have public access rights
that service dogs do, how ever they do have special housing rights.
Emotional support animals do need to have some basic manners and may
even be natural a letters but they generally aren't task trained like
service dogs must be. Though they can't come around public with you ESAs
are can be highly beneficial alternative to a service dog as they do
provide the child or adult with emotional support and their presence may
naturally help calm calm the person, reduce meltdowns ect
Learn more:
http://servicedogcentral.org/content/ESA
(In loving memory of Nimrodel)
*note this article is prone to updates
