One of the worries in my Parkie life is who will be there to watch out for me when I begin to have daily living problems. This is especially urgent for me since I live alone. I don’t have a husband or companion to help me out or to watch out for me, and I have no family in the city I live in. Since I left my career and have been working a normal 42-hour week, I have been considering becoming a dog owner. While this is a wonderful idea and the companionship of a dog would be most welcome, I have hesitate to do so because of the cost of veterinary bills. But, when I think about the things that a companion dog could do for me, I have to re-think those thoughts.

Recently I was talking to a Parkie friend about owning a dog and she suggested an assistance dog. “A what”, I asked. A dog that is specially trained to assist people with disabilities. So, I began asking if anyone had every heard of such a program, and I started checking out the Internet.

I discovered several programs whose goal it is to improve the quality of life for persons with physical disabilities and to help to remove many of the barriers faced by disabled people in today’s society. For me, this means that if I were to fall, a trained dog would be able to go for help, or press a special button to call for help or retrieve a cell phone. If I dropped something in the kitchen, a trained dog would be able to pick it up for me. If I missed my meds and begin to be Off, a trained dog would remind me to take my meds.

Assistance dogs are trained to meet specific needs of people with disabilities. Some programs are specific to a region of the United States, while others are national or international. Most assistance dogs are Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers, but occasionally other breeds may be used.

I discovered just how special these dogs are. Most assistance dogs wear a harness or backpack, and the backpack may identify the dog as a “Working Service Dog”. I also discovered that allowing people to pet the dog while in public is frowned upon because it may distract the dog from being aware of its owners needs or commands.

One of these programs is Canine Assistants, which is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1991. Canine Assistants’ home is in Alpharetta, Georgia, where dogs are trained for one of three purposes. Service Dogs are trained to assist with special needs which includes, turning lights on and off, opening and closing doors, retrieving dropped items, and providing secure companionship. Companion Dogs are trained to help with tasks in the home and to contribute to the emotional well being of the person. Seizure Response Dogs are trained to aid person with seizure disorders.

There is no cost to the recipient who is provided a dog from Canine Assistance. Once an application has been received there is an evaluation to determine the urgency of the need. That evaluation, not the date on the application, will determine where on the waiting list the applicant will be placed, and the waiting period could be many months.

Dogs placed by Canine Assistance receive veterinary care and recurrent training for life, and if needed, dog food can be provided by the organization. Once the dog has been placed with the applicant, the dog will still have several months of training at Canine Assistants’ campus. When the dog is ready to graduate the program, the applicant is required to go to the Canine Assistants campus for a two week training camp. If the applicant can’t afford the trip, Canine Assistants may be able to help with travel, meals and lodging.

I also found two regional programs. Canine Partners For Life is based in Cochranville, Pennsylvania, and serves clients within a 250-mile radius. The waiting list for this program is six to 18 months. The program asks for a $300 donation, but if needed, will waive the fees where financial hardship is proved. The program will also assess the applicant’s ability to care for the dog financially.

The second program is Canine Working Companions (CWC), serving a large section of New York State from Binghamton to Watertown, and Albany to the Finger Lakes. CWC states that breeding, raising, training, placing and conducting a lifetime of follow up costs between $10,000 to $12,000. While no one is denied a service dog due to a lack of funds, CWC does ask for a $25 application fee and a contribution of $150 at the end of training to cover equipment cost.

So, as you can see there are great programs out there. Each has its own requirements. If you are concerned about the treatment and training of a dog, the sites I visited provided text of the federal laws governing the raising, training and placement of the dogs.

Oh yes, and I was pleasantly surprised at just how serious a business this is. To submit my application to Canine Assistants I have to send in not only my application, but a statement of need from a mental health provider and a statement of need from my doctor/neurologist. Once these are received I will be interviewed by phone or in person in my home. Wow, this is serious business, but I am excited just to get on the waiting list.

For more information and application details:

Canine Assistants

http://www.canineassistants.org/

Canine Partners For Life

http://chesco.com/k94life/

Canine Working Companions

http://members.aol.com/DeMauro5/cwc.htm

Ian Pearson and companion dog Pax