Leslie McLeod
Dogs are affectionately known as “Man’s Best Friend.” They are loyal, compassionate, and show unconditional love to their owners. Dogs are amazing creatures and can help ordinary people in extraordinary ways. For example, dogs are used to help law enforcement, fire and rescue departments, search and rescue missions, and the military. Dogs can be of service to those with health concerns, whether it is for diabetics, seizure alert, physical assistance needs, hearing impairment, assistance with guidance or therapy needs. Service dogs can enhance independence for children and adults with physical, cognitive, and developmental disabilities.
Service dogs have recently become popular with those with developmental disabilities (Down Syndrome, Intellectual Disabilities, Autism, etc.). There are many benefits to having a service dog for those with disabilities. For starters, they offer emotional support. By simply being there, a solid, sound, and reassuring companion can help ease sensory overload, which is a common challenge for those with developmental disabilities. A service dog can also help by giving their owner a focal point. The kindness and gentleness of a service dog can help a child by just being there. They can be tolerant of a child that never “grows up,” makes crazy noises, has funny body language, may not speak, and may want to do compulsive behaviors over and over.
Another benefit is the dog’s ability to assist with safety concerns. Many individuals with developmental disabilities have no concept of personal safety, whether it is wandering alone or running into danger. An individual can be tethered from his/her harness to a trained service dog’s harness to prevent the child from bolting. Dogs can be tasked-trained to use touch intervention, as well as pressure intervention, and mobility assistance when these repetitive or self-injurious behaviors occur.
Now, here is the kicker. The full cost to breed, raise, and train an ASDA service dog is over $20,000.
You’re probably thinking to yourself: How can most families afford this? My husband and I thought the same thing. I was so anxious and excited when I heard about service dogs for those with developmental disabilities. I was not so anxious and excited hearing that price. After some researching, I found many families in our situation turning to rescue dogs. We located a rescue organization in Georgia and told them what we were looking for in a dog. We discussed and focused on our child’s needs. Did we want a certified, trained service dog that would protect him with us typically standing right there able to protect him ourselves? Did we want a service dog that acted more like a companion, with a calm temperament and tolerance of emotional and sometimes erratic behavior? While having a certified, trained service dog that could do both would be amazing, they were too expensive, and we couldn’t see ourselves making that expensive commitment. We opted for a rescue dog. After many discussions, a one-on-one meeting between the dog and our son, and a trial period, we found a perfect match.
While our dog Katie doesn’t bark, and alert us if our child is in danger, she provides comfort to our son. She greets him when he comes home from school and sleeps with him at night. She doesn’t bark or scare him in any way. Katie is our son’s best friend. In my opinion, that is Katie serving her purpose.