by Adam Hunter, Editorial Assistant
There was a time when a service dog meant a Seeing Eye dog. Not any longer. More and more, dogs are being trained to perform an array of helpful tasks, making life for tens of thousands not only manageable, but joyful. Here are just a few of the organizations dedicated to bringing together these special animals with the people who need them most.
The Delta Society
deltasociety.org This group promotes and organizes hospital, nursing
home and school visits from furry friends as therapy for the sick and
disabled. To get more information, write to 875 124th Avenue NE, Suite
101, Bellevue, WA 98005 or call (425) 226–7357.
National Education for Assistance Dog Services
neads.org The oldest hearing-dog program in the country. For information
write to P.O. Box 213, West Boylston, MA 01583 or call (978) 422–9064.
Loving Paws Assistance Dogs
lovingpaws.org Trains dogs to serve children with spinal cord injuries,
muscular dystrophy, spina bifida and other major disabilities. For more
information write to P.O. Box 12005, Santa Rosa, CA 95406 or call (707)
586–0798.
"Friends for Life" by Adam Hunter is reprinted with permission
from Guideposts.
Copyright (c) 2005 by Guideposts, Carmel, New York 10512. All rights
reserved.
Stress-Free Pups
An animal shelter can be a stressful environment for a dog. In a study,
however, shelter dogs receiving 20 minutes of daily petting and human
interaction over the course of 8 weeks experienced significant reductions
in their blood levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Petting your new
pet frequently may help your dog make a calmer transition to domestic
life, too.
Courtesy of Dog
Age
