Nyarko 1
Nezumi Fox Nyarko
Ms. Soto
Writing
April 20, 2016
A Man Best Friend Animals are known to be a man 's best friend. Studies have even shown that owning animals have been proven to have many health benefits that include but are not limited to, lowering cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, lowering triglycerides, reduce stress levels, and provide the owner with better mental health. C.W. Von Bergen says “For centuries people have noted the animals can have a positive influence on human functioning, and conventional wisdom has long supported the use of animals in promoting human wellbeing.” (18). Research shows that 6.15 million Americans over the age of 15 struggle with mental illness. Nearly 13.6 million people live with severe mental illness; this includes schizophrenia, major depression, anxiety, or bipolar disease (“Emotional Support Animals, Service Animal, and Pets on campus.” 16). Studies have found that while many benefits of animals companionship apply to groups across the board, unique benefits were observed for individuals with mental or psychiatric disorders. This research started the idea of ESA being a more common thing. People with disabilities may use service dogs and emotional support animals for a variety of reasons. I found it is for this reason that all individuals must remember that it is not necessary that all disabilities be an obvious one. Now many people wonder what an ESA is. “ESAs (sometimes called therapy animals or support
Animal Assisted Therapy also known as animal-assisted therapy has been formally introduced to the world in the last ten years or so. Although animals have always been a place of comfort for a lot of people, scientists just began to realize the impact animals have on society. The world has begun to experiment with what animals can do to benefit human health. The most common type of animal-assisted therapy is equine-assisted therapy. Equines are horses. Equine-assisted therapy 's impact on minors who have mental health issues have led to a successful new type of therapy that includes multiple benefits. Equine-assisted therapy has worked well in is treating adolescents and children how to communicate and connect with others. Two big issues that animal-assisted therapy has been known to help is Autism and kids with attachment and social problems.
Emotional support animals can take on a multitude of jobs that “may include reminding the handler to take medicine, providing safety checks or room searches, or turning on lights for persons with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, interrupting self-mutilation by persons with dissociative identity disorders, and keeping disoriented individuals from danger,” (Brennan). These animals are often considered pets but are actually so much more than that, emotional support animals have a very important role in protecting the mental health of their owners and keep them safe. Not only do these animals protect people’s mental health but they also give people a purpose. Taking care of one of these dogs or other animals gives people something to take care of and focus on. Knowing that there is another living thing that relies on them can be very grounding and keep people connected to something outside of themselves.
To get an emotional support animal, you have to check with your physician to consider the option of proving verifiable disability, as stated by law. Your doctor or medical professional will give a statement or a certificate, which will mention the concerned disability and the need for emotional support animal, which will offer therapeutic care and healing. However, the animal isn't treated a service animal and therefore, there is no need for any formal training to become an emotional support animal. In fact, all domesticated animals, including rodents, birds, reptiles, cats and dogs, can become an ESA.
While the use of service dogs, therapy dogs and emotional support animal is legitimate for people that have disabilities, many people abuse and fake their pets as service animals. In his Psychology today article, “Service Animal Scams: A Growing Problem,” author Hal Herzog Ph.D. explains how a growing number of Americans are faking their pets as service dogs. Herzog reports, “the present system governing the status of service animals is rife with abuse” and blasts The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Air Carrier Access Act for its loopholes. For example, if a person has a service dog, the ADA prohibits questions that involve the person’s disability, including documentation. Another issue is that the Air Carrier Access Act “gives legal
“Isolated, his family deteriorating—“I couldn’t show affection, couldn’t hug my kids”—Soliz turned to the Palo Alto V.A. Medical Center” (Colin n.p.) “Soliz says his life is slowly coming back to him and he now can go to the movies without panicking—and hug and kiss his two kids” (Colin n.p.). Moore who explained in her dissertation that, “some of the veterans spoke of ways their Psychiatric Service Dog has bettered their relationships with other people, in particular through increasing interpersonal interactions, Similar to Ensayra and Love's (2008) finding of the dog serving as a "social lubricant”
There has been a long history with animals and their natural bonds with humans for many decades now. Dogs have helped people with a multitude of illnesses for some time now, however Americans were not the first to discover this natural trait in animals. The Germans during World War 1 were the first to discover this. In the book, History of Guide Dog Use by Veterans it states that the German army in particular “relied heavily on the use of German shepherds as ambulance and messenger dogs. The Germans reportedly used more than 25,000 dogs during World War I. ' these dogs were ideally suited for this type of work, with ell-known traits such as trainability, loyalty, intelligence, strength, and endurance” (Ostermeier 587). In today 's society, we have numerous people who are unaware of the services that animals can provide for humans. Specifically humans with mental or physical disabilities. In this paper I will present various types of service animals as well as the many services they provide.
Service dogs serve a critical role in the everyday tasks for people who face physical disabilities. These animals assist those in wheelchairs by retrieving dropped items and even pulling the wheelchair, they can also serve as support to social ostracism. This journal studies the social impacts related to those in wheelchairs who have service dogs.
Some disabled people feel very disconnected from normal people, but a service dog helps them overcome that, and also become more independent. “Service dogs seem to positively influence socialization and community participation in a variety of environments. Two studies observed partnerships in natural environments (Eddy et al., 1988; Mader et al., 1989) and reported that community members smiled and conversed with children and adults with service dogs more than children and adults without service dogs, and community members did not avoid the person with a disability as much when a service dog was present” (Winkle, Crowe, and Hendrix 57). Service dogs allow disabled people to do more things on their own, with the help of the dog, and feel like they do not have to rely on other people to help them as much. In addition, when a disabled person has a service dog, they have a companion that is by their side throughout the day, boosting their confidence. Presnall writes: “Jennifer had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of sixteen… ‘I felt kind of repulsive and unlovable in that wheelchair,’ [Jennifer] says. ‘But I knew a service dog would look at me and just think I was cool’ ” (8). More evidence of this is proven with the bond between David, a man who had both of his legs amputated above his knees, and his dog Inca. “Inca’s arrival has made a huge difference to David’s life, both emotionally and physically” (Bidder 48). Thus, service dogs impact their
An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) is an animal serve the purpose of mitigating any kind of emotional or psychological symptoms associated with a handler's condition or disorder. The emotional support animal does NOT need to be custom trained to perform a specific disability-specific task. As the name suggests, the Emotional support animals provide comfort, a calming presence, and the much-needed company to their partners in times of distress. This type of animal is not regarded as a "working service dog", but as an emotional support animal. An emotional support animal (ESA) does NOT need to be trained to perform a
In the past several years, I have developed a keen interest in Service dogs and helping those who need them. A Service dog is an animal that is protected by the ADA, FDA, and ACAA, and they are considered medical equipment for those people. A dog is considered a Service animal if their handler has a disability that impacts their daily life severely, and the dog would be able to do tasks to mitigate the symptoms of the disability. However, unlike some other countries, people do not need a doctor's note to train and bring a service animal with them in public. Besides the common seeing eye dog, there are other disabilities animals can help people with, like depression, PTSD, anxiety, diabetes, and epilepsy.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, anxiety, or depression, amongst many other disabilities deserve to be acknowledged because of the medical advancements in the past several years which support the effectiveness of service animals. These disabilities affect the everyday lives of thousands of people throughout the United States, which is why I believe that service animals can be a beneficial component that may boost a person’s endurance. In the article, Service Dog Training Program for Treatment of PTSD in Service Members, a study written with the United States Army, results concluded that service animals were deemed effective in their practices. The article reports that veterans and service members had an “increase in patience, impulse control, [and] emotional regulation” (Yount, et al.). As a helpful practice for disabled persons, it is a civil injustice to discriminate against a person with a service dog. To neglect a disabled person’s accessibility to basic public services in modern society is a violation of human rights. I think that the lack of accommodations for service animals and their handlers is an overlooked issue in society, which is why I believe that my research is a relevant issue in modern
Similarly, Iannuzzi and Rowan evaluate the ethical issues behind three different areas where animal assisted therapy is needed. These areas include, institution programs, visitation programs, and programs for the elderly. The institutions where therapy dogs are used include, (nursing homes, prisons, and various mental facilities). Iannnuzzi and Rowan point out that when the institution owns the therapy dog they are more susceptible to fatigue, they state, “ Animal fatigue is one possible problem for a resident animal if it is not allowed
In its entirety, the article states, “Assistance animals that provide help for psychiatric impairments are covered under the ADA.” In recent years, the definition of a service animal has been clarified for those who are unsure of what being a service animal entails. The article states that on the Department of Justice website, they declared, “’Service animals are any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a
AAT also has the ability to be a crucial part in an individual’s rehabilitation process and their recovery. Future research in AAT should focus on how it can and should be used to its maximum potential for individuals with disabilities and how they are affected long term. “Research in this also demonstrates that animals play a significant role in human health and well- being. Animal companionship and AAT form relationships between humans and animals that provide physical, physiological, and psychological benefits. These benefits are so significant to human health that recent medical attention has been paid to the field of AAT.
Nearly any type of pet will have a very positive impact on people with mental illnesses. They are a great source of support, comfort, and motivation for their owners. In many ways, a pet can help people with anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder, live mentally healthier lives.