Service Dogs Save Lives

By Charlie W.

Service dogs are important for many reasons such as helping disabled people, finding people in response to natural disasters, and even chasing down criminals or escaped prisoners. Service dogs can help people with disabilities, firefighters, and police officers. Recently, there has been a study by Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine that shows how service dogs can have a measurable positive effect on people. 

 Jennifer Arnold knows how important service dogs are. She spent two years of her teens in a wheelchair from a disease that affected the tissues in her body.   In 1991, Arnold founded Canine Assistants, a nonprofit organization that places service dogs across the U.S. The dogs are trained to assist people with disabilities, medical conditions, and other needs. 

Service dogs can be many breeds. They must have a desire to work, a calm demeanor, intelligence, and a friendly, loving disposition.  The most common breeds of service dogs are: Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, Saint Bernards, Collies, and Cocker Spaniels. Service dogs for police have all of the traits of civilian service dogs, and they must have a really good sense of smell and strong hearing. The most common breeds of police service dogs are Belgian Malinoises and German Shepherds. 

Service dogs help to support over 80 million Americans. They can do things like open doors, get medication, guide visually impaired people, alert deaf people to important sounds, and interrupt panic attacks. Service dogs benefit the lives of those they serve.