Service Dogs in Schools: A Way of Life for Students, Employees

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Service Dogs in Schools A Way of Life for
Students, Employees Administrators
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• What is a Service Dog? Can I bring my dog to
  school/campus?
• Does a Service Dog have to be trained and
  certified?

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What is a Service Dog?

• A service animal is a dog that is individually
  trained to do work or perform tasks for a person
  with a disability.
• The work or task a dog has been
• trained to provide must be directly
• related to the persons disability.
• Dogs whose sole function is to
• provide comfort or emotional support
• do not qualify as service animals
• under the ADA.

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Where do Service Dogs Come from?

• School/programs that breed/select, raise, train
  and place dogs with people with disabilities.
• Private Trainers
• that select, train
• and place dogs
• Owners who
• train a dogs for
• themselves often
• with the help of a
• trainer.

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What is the difference? Who is protected under
the law?

• Service Dogs/Assistance Dogs,
• ADA, Fair Housing, Air Carrier Access Act
• Comfort dogs/companion dogs/emotional support
  dogs
• Fair Housing, Air Carrier Access Act
• Therapy dogs/visiting therapy dogs
• By invitation to a facility

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How is a Service Dog different from a pet dog?

• Highly trained to
• advanced levels
• Specially selected for
• friendly temperament,
• work ethic,no aggression
• towards people/animals and
• moderate energy levels
• More interested in their person and work than
  other dogs, people, or other animals

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Myth Buster

• Service Dog Candidates have no say in becoming a
  service dog.
• Service Dogs dont get to be dogs.
• Service Dogs are forced to work.
• There are no standards for
• Service Dogs.
• Any dog can be a Service Dog.

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Deciding Where Your Service Dog Should Come From?
Certification

• Most people get their service dogs from programs
• Owner training is rewarding, but it can also be
• Expensive
• Hard to find a dog with the right stuff
• Tiring and Slow
• Private Trainers
• Have their own standards and process for clients
• Can work with you individually
• May come from dog training fields other than
  service dogs
• May or may not have a background in working with
  people with disabilities

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• Who is responsible for the care of the Service
  Dog?
• What kinds of things can Service Dogs do?

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Responsibilities of a Service Dog Handler

• Feed and care for the Service Dog including
  regular vet visits, daily grooming, and exercise
• Ensure that your
• Service Dog does not
• look for attention from others
• or disturb others
• while working
• Keep your Service Dog safe
• Maintain training

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The Great Parts of having a Service Dog.

• They are always there for you
• They can think and change how they do things
• They dont complain about having to help you
• They will do things over
• and over with joy
• They need you as much
• as you need them

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Not-So-Great Parts of having a Service Dog

• The attention they attract
• People invading your space
• People denying you access with your service dog
• Dogs getting sick in the middle of the night and
  waking you up/ or while working
• Dogs doing something embarrassing (like Barking)
  while working
• Just as they get really, really good at their
  work its time to retire them.

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Types of Work Done by Service Dogs

• Guiding
• Mobility
• Balance
• Medical Response/Alert
• Hearing Response/Alert

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• What kinds of accommodations must an educational
  institution provide the team?

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How Educators Can Minimize Disruption

• Show-and-tell
• Dealing with allergies and fears
• I want to learn more
• who can I call?
• (start with the school
• that trained the dog in
• question, associations, etc.)

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High School and College

• Unwanted attention
• New name calling
• More accommodation IEP
• More responsibility
• More Opportunities
• More independence

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Higher Education

• ADA  - public access
• FHA -  housing
• 504  - accommodations
• Oregon State Law
• Parts of Campus
• Public Areas
• Classroom Settings
• Science Labs
• Housing
• Medical Facilities
•  
•  

 
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Service Dogs on College Campuses

• Seizure Alert
• Guiding
• PTSD- Vigilance, scanning
• Diabetes
• Hearing
• Psychiatric 

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UO Procedures

• Service vs. Comfort /Therapy
• Students Accessible Education Center
• Faculty/Staff Affirmative Action/Equal
  Opportunity
•  UOPD Permit

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• Can I pet your dog?

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Etiquette

• What do I call you? I am a person speak to me. I
  am a person with a disability
• What do I call your dog? (e.g., seeing eye dog
  guide dog or dog guide
• How do I refer to the relationship? This is a
  partnership,
• Public Disclosure (e.g., harnesses, jackets,
  other identifiers) are not required.
• DO NOT Pet, feed, distract my dog she is not
  public property.
• Interactions with pets on and off-leash. My dog
  is not here for your dogs sake.
• What do I tell my child? That is a very
  important dog lets watch and dont touch.

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Dont Throw that Out!

• Service Dogs are
• one tool in living with a disability
• Dont replace other tools
• Work together with other tools
• Get sick/hurt
• Need to retire

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Questions??
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Contact Us
WVADC-owner_at_yahoogroups.com http//www.facebook.c
om/WVADC
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Who Are We?

• Leslie Weilbacher- Co-founder Willamette Valley
  Assistance Dogs Club, Guide Dogs for the Blind
  Alumna, Guiding Eyes for the Blind Alumna
• Melissa Mitchell-Founder Service Dogs A Way of
  Life, Co-Founder Willamette Valley Assistance
  Dogs Club, Owner-Trainer, Summit Assistance Dogs
  Alumna