So what exactly is the difference between a Service Dog and a Therapy Dog?

     It is important for us to let you know that Service Dogs and Therapy Dogs are NOT the same.  They are vastly different and the terms "Service Dog" and "Therapy Dog" should NOT be interchanged with one another.  Federal Law states that a Service Animal is NOT a pet.  According to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), a service animal is any animal that has been individually trained to provide assistance or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a physical or mental disability which substantially limits one or more major life functions. Additionally, many states have their own laws which follow up on the federal law in more detail.

     A Therapy Animal (Therapy Dog) refers to a dog trained to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, mental institutions, schools, and stressful situations such as disaster areas.  Therapy Dogs provide animal contact to numerous individuals who may, or may not, have disabilities.  A Therapy Animal works in animal-assisted activities and animal-assisted therapy.  It is usually the personal pet of its handler, and typically works with its handler in attendance during sessions.  Visiting animal-handler teams are the most common source of therapy animals/therapy dogs.  The handlers of these visiting teams may be volunteers or health care professionals on the staff of the facility they visit.  

     Handlers of Therapy Dogs do NOT have the same rights as the handler of a Service Dog.  The handler of a Service Animal is protected under the ADA due to the individual's disability.  This is a VERY IMPORTANT distinction.  It should be understood that it is the DISABLED HANDLER that has rights under the ADA and not the dog.  The Service Dog is allowed access solely because of the rights of the individual.

Here are some different types of Service Dogs

This is only a partial list of Service Animals and is not intended to be all-inclusive or authoritative:

Seeing-Eye Dog or Guide Dog– Probably what enters most people's minds when they hear the term Service Dog, this Service Dog/Service Animal would assist an individual that has vision loss; either fully or partial.

Mobility Assistance Dog– This Service Dog may retrieve items, open doors or even push buttons for its handler.  Also, this Service Dog may assist people needing help with walking, balance and maybe even in and out of a bathtub.

Hearing Alert Dog – This Service Dog will alert its handler with a hearing loss to sounds.  To many people's surprise, many small breeds of dogs are very popular for this use.  This Service Dog is vital to his/her handler's safety.

Seizure Alert Dog/Seizure Response Dog – Also known as Medical Alert Dog, this Service Dog alerts to oncoming seizures and is trained to respond to seizures such as "Get Help" or stay with the person until help arrives.  Wiredog has had many customers tell us how their Seizure Alert Service Dog has saved their life as well as the lives of others.  One customer's dog alerted her to an oncoming seizure while she was driving.  She was able to pull over and handle the situation in a safe manner for her as well as the other drivers on the highway.  How many lives were saved that day because of this Service Dog?

Medical Alert Dog/Medical Response Dog – This Service Dog is trained to alert to oncoming medical conditions, such as heart attack, stroke, diabetes, epilepsy, panic attack, anxiety attack and even post traumatic stress disorder.  This is a growing branch in Service Dog work.  Now, a Service Dog can even be trained to alert those with Peanut Allergies.  Once again, a critical dog for those suffering from different challenges.

Autism Service Dog – This Service Dog can alert its handler of certain behaviors so that the handler may keep these behaviors to a minimum.  This sort of Service Animal is found to be both assistive and extremely therapeutic to many with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome.

 

IMPORTANT:  It is illegal to label your dog as a Service Dog if you are not disabled. Wiredog's products do not imply certification of your dog in any way, but rather our products are meant for the identification of Service Dogs. The ADA defines a Service Animal any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability. If they meet this definition, animals are considered service animals under the ADA regardless of whether they have been licensed or certified by a state or local government. A service animal is not a pet.  Petjoy|Wiredog is not responsible for those making purchases under false pretenses.  If we become aware that you are buying Service Dog Equipment under false pretenses, Wiredog will not sell to you.  We are committed to ensuring that those who truly need these rights are able to retain these rights.