Could a service dog help you after your accident?

If you suffer serious injuries that leave you with limitations that affect your daily life, then you may want to consider getting a service dog. This type of animal can assist you with tasks that you can no longer do or that are difficult for you to do.

According to the American Kennel Club, service dogs are a special type of companion animal that has training and certification. They can be any breed of dog, but they have a specific purpose to help with the physical needs of their owners.

A service dog is not the same as an emotional support animal. These animals have no specific training or certification. They do not perform any specific duties other than offering comfort to their owners.

How a service dog can help

Research shows that dogs can provide many health benefits, such as lowering stress and increasing your fitness. They also can handle certain tasks you may be unable to do on your own, depending on their training. Good examples of how service dogs help include a medical alert dog that has training to detect seizures in its owner or a seeing-eye dog that helps a visually impaired owner navigate when walking.

Professional training

Your service dog does not have to have professional training. You can train your dog on your own. Whether you obtain an animal through a professional service dog trainer or train a dog you already own depends on your own preference and abilities. It may be easier to get a dog already trained, depending on your disability and the disposition of the dog you own as not all dogs make ideal service animals.

How expensive are service dogs?

That said, service dogs can be very expensive. Remember, they go through years of training that goes far beyond what most pets will ever receive. They are chosen and trained to perform very specific tasks, with the understanding that they may literally be a lifeline for a person with a disability. How can you afford this type of companion?

Fortunately, you have a lot of options. There are numerous grants for you can apply. Some companies provide support, such as the $15 million annually received from PETCO. Additionally, there are ways to cut back on the costs, e.g., claiming them on your taxes, which is honored by the IRS, or finding veterinarians who offer discounted rates for service animals. If you can reduce the costs and then get grants to cover what remains, it becomes quite affordable.

Contact Our Washington Personal Injury Law Firm at Dean Standish Perkins & Associates

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Dean Standish Perkins & Associates

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