Service Animals & Why They Are Important
Today we are talking about those fantastic creatures called “service animals.” Having a pet become a beloved part of your family is inevitable. Service pets take that family bond to a whole new level.
If you have considered getting a service pet or getting one for a loved one, here are 7 reasons why we believe getting a service pet is like getting a personal superhero.
1. Service animals can become true special friends and helpers.
Imagine your best friend fetching you a cup of water when you’re thirsty, picking up things you have dropped and can’t get to or opening up the door for you, not to mention staying close by your side and keeping you calm and safe, day and night.
Thanks to organizations like Canine Companions for Independence, service dogs are trained to enhance the lives of those who need them.
2. They help us feel more secure and independent in a sometimes scary and complicated world.
In the Superheroes Club series, you get to meet Meatball. Meatball is Alex’s service dog.
For people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the world can sometimes seem like a big scary place. The communication and social difficulties many people with ASD have can make the world a confusing and sometimes chaotic place to navigate.
But with Meatball (who is now seen as just another “student” at Alex’s school!) Alex, who has ASD, is comforted and calmed in situations that would typically be uncomfortable for him.
3. They help us make friends.
Dogs have forever been called “man’s best friend”. Naturally, most people want to rub your dog’s fur and give it hugs.
These are always powerful conversation starters, and even for people who find it difficult to socialize, starting a conversation about their service animal will get them talking. Not only does the presence of the pet make the person more confident and comfortable in the first place, but it also helps people immediately find a common ground with those who may be different.
4. They help us learn caring and empathy.
Service dogs are such excellent examples of what it means to truly care. There is a funny quote that goes “a dog is the only creature that loves you more than itself.”
What an amazing world it would be to learn and apply this lesson from these truly wonderful animals!
5. They help us appreciate other living things, and not just ourselves and other humans.
Falling in love with your service animal means you will easily appreciate and want to defend other living things. It’s hard to care about dogs and be apathetic about the rest of the world.
6. They don’t judge us.
Service animals do not judge. They are there to help and be a friend no matter what you look like, where you live or what you have.
In the Superheroes Club series, Meatball is the beloved service animal that doesn’t judge Alex but in fact helps him navigate an otherwise confusing world.
7. They provide health benefits to us.
There is evidence that owning a pet can have very definite mood-boosting benefits to help with loneliness and depression and a variety of other conditions. In very specific instances, they can even be trained to sense certain changes in a person’s physical and emotional conditions as a warning that something needs to be done to help the person.
Do you have a service animal? What has that experience been like? Comment below and tell us!