Image Up Advertising & Design

18 | OHCC LIVING | DECEMBER 2019 | Our guest speaker at our Annual Board Meeting was Kathy Waddell, of Operation Freedom Paws, (accompanied by her service dog, Crystal) gave an excellent presentation on the different roles, responsibilities and rights of Service Dogs, Therapy Dogs, and Emotional Support Animals. Operation Freedom Paws is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization that matches dogs with individuals who have Post Traumatic Stress (PTS), Complex-Post Traumatic Stress (CPTS) and/or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) symptoms, or other physical, neurological, psychological or mobility needs. OFP states, "We train the individual to train their own dog, and then certify them together as a service dog team. Most of the dogs come from rescue shelters. Each is then matched to a specific client's physical and psychological needs. There is no charge – all we ask is a commitment to complete the 48-week training program. (Note: It was only by chance that we later found out that founder Mary Cortani, had been one of the 10 top recipients of the CNN Heroes Award.) A Therapy Dog is a pet that is trained. With its owner, as a team, to provide comfort and stress relief to others in a variety of situations, including nursing homes, schools and after disasters. While they do provide a valuable service, they do not qualify as service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). A therapy pet does not have the same legal rights as an assistance or service animal. Service Dogs are defined as animals that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with disabilities. The work or task an animal has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person's disability. Emotional Support Animals (ESA) do not require special training, but their need must be documented by a letter from a psychologist or psychiatrist. Their primary role is to provide emotional comfort, companionship and affection to their owner. Their right to accompany their owners on airlines is covered under the Department of Transportation, not the ADA. An easy way to distinguish a service dog from a therapy dog or emotional support pet is the animal's attitude towards other people. Therapy dogs and emotional support dogs are outward-focused, friendly and welcome attention. Service dogs are intensely focused on their owners and are generally not interested in our attention. We should always ask if we can pet a service dog, but we should also know that we may be putting the owner in danger. If the dog is trained to alert to seizures, blood sugar variations in a diabetic, or triggers for PTSD, our distracting the dog may mean that it misses those cues. Misrepresenting an animal as a service or assistance animal may be punishable by incarceration and/or fines – as determined by local, state and federal laws. In California that can means up to $1,000 fine and six months in jail. Pet Lovers Club

• Cover