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to alert their charges of the telephone, doorbells, emergency alarms (smoke detectors, security alarms, etc.) and children crying. Any breed of dog can be trained to assist the hearing impaired. Birds can also be used to assist the hearing impaired.

Law enforcement animals also fall under the umbrella of service animals. Police dogs, police horses, and other dogs (as well as cats and ferrets) are used to sniff for drugs, bombs, and missing persons and escapees are service animals as well. As the threat of terrorism grows, these animals are used in many ways to stop attacks. Many of these dogs are also used as expert witnesses at grand jury investigations and trials.

Companion animals are growing in popularity among people with special needs. Much like therapy animals, these dogs (sometimes cats, ferrets and birds) are trained to assist people with a wide variety of conditions and disabilities. These animals can perform vast number of duties including answering the telephone, sorting laundry by color and texture, and even using some appliances (pushing buttons and turning knobs for ovens, microwaves, and washing machines and dryers, etc.). Companion animals are usually trained as guide dogs, therapy dogs, and/or sniffing dogs. That is dependent upon the specific needs of the individual in their care.

There are many misconceptions about service animals. They do not have to a purebred animal. Many mixed breeds are used because they are not limited to by their breeding to perform only certain tasks. Specialized training is not always required for therapy and companion animals. Any time a doctor prescribes a therapy or companion animal, whatever animal the patient chooses can fit the prescription. If the doctor prescribes a guide dog or sniffing dog, specialized training is necessary. Many service animals are not required to wear special vests or collars that distinguish them as service animals. Depending upon the duties that are required of them, such vests and collars can be a hindrance. Legally, those in need of service animals can not be discriminated, if they are disabled. Unfortunately, this happens frequently. Service animals can be used by those who are not classified as "disabled," yet still need assistance with certain tasks. Businesses are not allowed to ask questions regarding the animal's duties or the handler's needs. They can not ask for verification of the need for a service animal. In fact, the only legal question they can ask is if the animal is a service animal. Housing is a bit of a problem, regardless of the law. In some areas, only owners that have a certain number of rental properties are required to allow service animals.

My husband has a service animal, Maisie. We got her from an animal rescue in our area. She is a terrier/dachshund mix and weighs around six pounds. She is certified as a therapy animal and a companion animal. She is trained to assist my husband with physical therapy, retrieving items, as well as answering the phone, sorting laundry and using certain appliances. She is also trained to help him deal with the depression his various medical conditions have caused. She does not wear a special vest or collar. In fact, due to her training, she is not even required to have a leash.

Service animals perform a variety of tasks and duties for the people they help. They can be any species and breed. Specialized training is not necessary, depending on the services needed. They are not limited only to guide dogs. These animals are greatly needed by their owners and should never be discriminated against, regardless of how limited the laws may be in certain areas.

Learn more about this author, Emma Riley Sutton.
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