August 4-10, 2013 International Assistance Dog Week

A Tribute To Service / Assistance Dogs

International Assistance Dog Week was established due to the efforts of Marcie Davis, a paraplegic for over 35 years and CEO of Davis Innovations, a consulting firm based in Santa Fe, NM.

International Assistance Dog Week

Davis is the author of “Working Like Dogs: The Service Dog Guidebook,” and she is the host of the Internet radio program, “Working Like Dogs,” at http://www.petliferadio.com/.

International Assistance Dog Week was created to recognize all the devoted, hardworking assistance dogs helping individuals with disability-related limitations.

The Assistance Dogs help transform the lives of their human partners with physical and mental disabilities by serving as their companion, helper, aide, best friend and close member of their family.

The goals are to recognize and honor the assistance dogs; raise awareness and educate the public about how these specially trained animals are aiding  people in our communities; honor the puppy raisers and trainers of assistance dogs; and recognize heroic deeds performed by assistance dogs in our communities.

America's VetDogs CFC

Description of the Various Types of Assistance Dogs

Guide Dogs. Assist people with vision loss, leading these individuals around physical obstacles and to destinations such as seating, crossing streets, entering or exiting doorways, elevators and stairways.

Service Dogs. Assist people with disabilities with walking, balance, dressing, transferring from place to place, retrieving and carrying items, opening doors and drawers, pushing buttons, pulling wheelchairs and aiding with household chores, such as putting in and removing clothes from the washer and dryer.

Hearing Alert Dogs. Alert people with a hearing loss to the presence of specific sounds such as doorbells, telephones, crying babies, sirens, another person, buzzing timers or sensors, knocks at the door or smoke, fire and clock alarms.

Seizure Alert/Seizure Response Dogs. Alert or respond to medical conditions, such as heart attack, stroke, diabetes, epilepsy, panic attack, anxiety attack, post-traumatic stress and seizures.

Medical Alert/Medical Response Dogs. Alert to oncoming medical conditions, such as heart attack, stroke, diabetes, epilepsy, panic attack, anxiety attack, and posttraumatic stress disorder.

Assistance dogs are allowed to accompany their human partners to places of business including restaurants and shops. Under state law and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), they are guaranteed equal  access to any and all establishments and accommodations; no extra charge can be levied because of the dog.

Resources.

International Assistance Dog Week (www.assistancedogweek)
Working Like Dogs (http://www.workinglikedogs.com/)

Assistance Dogs International (http://www.assistancedogsinternational.org/)
International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (http://www.iaadp.org/)

March 25, National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day

March 25 has officially been designated “National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day” by the U.S. Senate (Resolution No. 75). Senator John Isakson (R-GA) sponsored the effort along with Robert Casey (D-PA). The day falls within Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.

The goal of National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day is to provide an understanding of CP and those impacted by it. The latest statistics from the CDC show cerebral palsy prevalence rate is 3.3 per 1,000 births. UCP invites you to help mark this important day in one of the following ways:

• Learn the facts about cerebral palsy from UCP’s fact sheet or read a more in-depth article from UCP’s My Child Without Limits website.
• Join the conversation on Twitter by using the hash tag: #CPAwareDay. 
      
  1. #CPFact: The CDC estimates that each year aprox 10,000 babies born in the US will develop cerebral palsy #CPAwareDay
  2. #CPFact: Did you know that in the US alone there are approximately 764,000 children and adults with cerebral palsy? #CPAwareDay
  3. #CPFact: Cerebral Palsy is NOT a disease, not progressive, nor communicable. #CPAwareDay #CPMyths

This is my son Jake. He was born in 1988 with cerebral palsy. The road has been paved with challenges, triumphs and a lot of love. We are blessed with family and friends who provide unconditional love and support.

Together, we can continue to push for the social, legal and technological changes that increase accessibility and independence, allowing people with CP and other disabilities to live a life without limits.