The Difference Between a Service Dog and a Therapy Dog
We probably all think that our dogs are essential in our daily lives and wish we could take them with us everywhere. Many dogs do have real jobs and go to work with their people every day, whether it’s herding livestock, helping search and rescue teams, or keeping patients comfortable in hospitals. But not all working dogs are working dogs, which have certain legal rights in public places.
Here’s the difference between service dogs, therapy dogs, and other top working boys and girls.
What is a service dog?
Service dogs provide a special type of assistance defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), meaning they are formally trained to perform tasks in support of people with “physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental retardation.” For example :
- Guide dogs for the blind and visually impaired
- Signal dogs that warn people who are deaf to sounds
- Medical support dogs that protect or seek help during an attack or episode of low blood sugar.
- Psychiatric support dogs , which help handlers with psychiatric conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder.
- Agile dogs that assist people in wheelchairs or mobility aids.
- Sensory signal dogs that help people with autism
The tasks of a service dog should be directly related to the disability of their human handler. They are considered working dogs, not pets, and under the ADA they are entitled to full access to public places where other animals are not allowed. That’s why you can see guide dogs in restaurants, on planes, and in non-pet-friendly homes and hotels, all for free.
Note that the ADA does not require service animals to wear special vests or tags that identify them, so this (or lack thereof) does not necessarily signal a dog’s work.
What is a therapy dog?
Therapy dogs provide comfort to people in certain settings, such as hospitals, clinics, schools, therapy offices, and nursing homes on a voluntary basis. They may also be called upon to support people after traumatic events or natural disasters. In some places, therapy dogs are also allowed into courthouses to help those who are undergoing legal or legal proceedings.
Therapy dogs and similar assistance animals are not trained to perform a specific task for a specific person with a disability, so the ADA does not provide them with the same protection. However, they are expected to cope with the demands of the environment, such as unusual sounds and the touch of strangers.
While there are organizations that train and certify therapy dogs, the process is not standardized. Public access may be restricted and standard pet fees may apply. Please note that emotional support animals , although comforting to their owners, are pets and not service dogs with general access rights.
What is a working dog?
As already mentioned, many dogs have other work that is not of a medical nature. A few examples are search and rescue dogs, explosive detection dogs, and herding dogs. While these dogs do have very focused tasks to perform while on the job, they are also not considered service animals under the ADA.