How to Interact with a Service Animal

While food shopping the other day, I ran into three handlers with service dogs-in-training. How do I know they were in training? Each dog was wearing a bright green vest that said they were learning to be service animals. My second clue was that the handlers were running the dogs through their paces — sitting, laying down, and heeling on command. I stopped to watch at a bit of a distance, not wanting to interrupt the lesson. You might encounter a service animal just about anywhere: the mall, the food store, an airport terminal, a restaurant, and more. Do you … Continue reading →

Service Animals and the Law

All animal assistants are not treated equally by United States law. Service animals are legally defined by Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. By law, they are not considered pets. A service animal is specially trained to assist a person with a disability. Some examples of service animals include (but are not limited to): guide animals for the visually impaired, animals who warn owners of seizures, animals who pull or guide wheelchairs. A person with a disability has a legal right to be accompanied by a service animal in public places — businesses, the workplace, airports, and more. … Continue reading →

Dogs Helping to Refine Human Cancer Treatments

Approximately six million dogs are diagnosed with cancer each year. Companion animals with cancer can be used by researchers as models for human cancer, to help develop new treatments for man and animal alike. Comparative oncology isn’t a new idea. Dogs were used for testing bone marrow transplant techniques in the 1960s and 1970s. In the 1980s and 1990s, dogs were used to test limb-saving treatments for bone cancer. In 2003, the National Cancer Institute formally founded the Comparative Oncology Program, which aims to use pets to learn more about cancer — and to test and refine new therapies that … Continue reading →

Fuzz Therapy at School

There’s an old Calvin and Hobbes comic that I’ve always loved: Calvin comes in after a long, horrible day and finds Hobbes (his stuffed tiger) snoozing on the floor. Calvin buries his face in the tiger’s tummy and sits up with a smile on his face. “Ahhhh… fuzz therapy,” he says. Studies have shown that pets are great when it comes to relieving stress. Whether you’re old or young, healthy or infirm, a pet can be a huge mood booster and stress reliever. Pets who live in assisted living facilities help residents come out of their shells. A new study … Continue reading →

Pets in Assisted Living

More and more assisted living facilities are welcoming pets along with people! I personally think this is a great idea. Pets have such a positive effect on people — mentally, physically, and emotionally. A transition to an assisted living facility can be difficult; if a pet eases the way, I’m all for it. However, there are some drawbacks to allowing pets to live in a facility. The cons of pets in assisted living: Staff members have to spend time and energy helping owners care for the pets. Pet food and health care is an additional financial burden on owners and … Continue reading →

Alzheimer’s Disease: Pet Fixations

My grandmother has Alzheimer’s disease. The first signs of it appeared four or five years ago, while I was living in Vermont. When I moved back home, I moved in with my grandmother because she had space for me and my two dogs. As her mental function began to diminish, she started to get fixated on the dogs. They were her constant companions, and her constant worry. Had they been fed? Were they hungry? Did they need to go out? Did they need to come in? Where were they? Was it time for them to have a snack? (This is … Continue reading →

A Cat Can Lower Your Heart Attack Risk

As if we didn’t love our pets enough — here’s another reason to cuddle your kitty! A ten year study from the University of Minnesota suggests that having a cat for a pet can cut your heart attack risk by nearly a third! More than four thousand Americans between the ages of thirty and seventy-five were tracked between 1976 and 1980 for a National Health and Nutrition Examination Study. The University of Minnesota team looked at the data, then spent a decade following up with the participants to look at health issues and death rates. More than half the people … Continue reading →

How Pets Relieve Stress

I had a discouraging morning at work today. By the time I got home, I was sad and cranky and in a generally bad mood. And then I opened the door. My German shepherd mix, Moose, came waddling up and jammed his nose into my hand. My boxer mix, Lally, came bounding up with her squeaky ball in her mouth and her tail wagging. And I just had to smile. Pets have an amazing ability to relieve stress. It’s hard to keep feeling bad when you have a barking, licking, wiggling, warm fuzzy bundle of joy around. It’s hard to … Continue reading →

The Right Dog For Your Healthy Lifestyle

Sometimes, we need a motivation to make the best choices for our health — eating right, exercising regularly, getting enough rest, and getting regular check-ups from the doctor. Some people like to team up with a workout buddy to make sure they keep going to the gym. Some people join a weight loss program for the companionship and moral support. But you may have a GREAT workout motivator snoozing at your feet when you watch TV or work on that sudoku puzzle: your dog. Different breeds of dog are great for different workouts, and can be the most energetic, enthusiastic … Continue reading →

Cancer Sniffing Dogs

Your four-legged best friend could someday save your life. Since 1989, doctors have been collecting evidence that dogs can indeed sniff out cancer. The first published case involved a woman whose dog kept sniffing at a mole on her leg. Eventually she went to her doctor to discover that the mole was a malignant skin cancer! By 2004, doctors were able to train dogs to sniff out bladder cancer in patient urine samples. In 2006, a study showed that dogs could detect lung cancer and breast cancer just by smelling a person’s breath! After working with a trainer and samples … Continue reading →