W

Is there peer-reviewed research on

Psychiatric Service Dogs (PSD)?
PSD are a new type of service dog; therefore,
very little research is available. PSDS will play Want More Information?
a vital role in generating peer-reviewed scien-
tific research on PSD. In the meantime, the
following may aid your understanding of the
value of these dogs: Dedicated To Responsible Psychiatric
Psychiatric Service Dog Society Service Dog Education, Advocacy,
Esnayra, J., Love, C., A Survey of Psychiatric Service Dog
P.O. Box 754
Handlers, 2006, (in preparation). Arlington, VA 22216 Research And Training Facilitation.
Johnson, A., Guard Dogs of Mental Health: Early Observations
Credit Psychiatric Service Dogs With Saving Lives--And
Call For Full Research, BARK Magazine, Summer 2005, www.psychdog.org
vol. 31: 41-42. (571) 216-1589
Smith, M.J., Esnayra, J., Love, C., Successful Use Of A joan.esnayra@comcast.net
Psychiatric Service Dog: A Case Study, J. Psychiatric www.psychdog.org
Services, 2003, 54(1):110-111.
Becker, M., Morton, D., The Healing Power of Pets, Hype-
rion, New York, 2002, pp.153-155.

Barak, Y., Savorai, O., et al., Animal-Assisted Therapy For

Elderly Schizophrenic Patients: A One-Year Controlled
Trial, Am J Geriatric Psychiatry, 2001, 9(4): 439-442. PSDS Board of Directors
Kingwell, B., Lomdahl, A., Anderson, W.P., Presence of a pet
dog and human cardiovascular responses to mild mental
stress. Clin Auton Res, 2001, 11(5): 313-7. Joan Esnayra, Ph.D., Consumer
Fine, A., eds, Handbook On Animal-Assisted therapy, Aca- Craig Love, Ph.D., Psychologist
demic Press, 2000.
Barker, S.B., Dawson, K.S., The Effects Of Animal-Assisted Mark Smith, M.D., Ph. D. Psychiatrist
Therapy On Anxiety Ratings Of Hospitalized Psychiatric
Patients, J. Psychiatric Services, 1998, 49(6): 797-801. Earl Strimple, D.V.M., Veterinarian
Suzik, H.A., Americans With Disabilities Act Protects Service C. Madison Brewer, J.D., Attorney
Animal Users, J Am Vet Med Assoc, 1998, 212(1): 10-13.
Wilson, C.C., Turner, D.C., eds, Companion animals in
human health, SAGE, 1998.
Eames, E., Eames, T., Interpreting Legal Mandates. Assistance
Dogs In Medical Facilities, Nurs Manage, 1997, 28(6): 49-
51.
Allen, K., Blascovich, J., The Value Of Service Dogs For Psychiatric Service Dog Society
Copyright 2002
People With Severe Ambulatory Disabilities, JAMA,
1996, 275(13): 1001-1006. All Rights Reserved FOR PROVIDERS
P SYCHIATRIC S ERVICE D OGS
What is a Psychiatric Service Dog (PSD)?
A dog that is individually trained to do work or
perform tasks for the benefit of an individual
disabled by mental illness.
What is a disability?
A disability is a physical or mental impairment
that substantially limits one or more major life
activities. Having a psychiatric diagnosis does
not necessarily mean your client is disabled
under the law. What matters is that the de-
gree of impairment is ‘substantial’. As a men-
tal health professional you can help your client
by providing a letter that states she is disabled
and that you support her use of a PSD.
What diagnoses may be assisted by a PSD?
Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Schizo-
phrenia, Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety Disor-
der, Agoraphobia, Obsessive-Compulsive Disor-
der and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
What tasks can PSD be trained to perform?
♦ Remind handler to take medication on time
♦ Turn on lights & search a room for intruders
♦ Warm handler’s body during a panic attack
♦ Interrupt repetitive behaviors
♦ Attend to handler during emotional distress
♦ Accompany handler outside of the home
♦ Alert to mania, panic attacks or dissociation
♦ Interrupt dissociative episodes or flashbacks
♦ Hallucination discernment
What about allergic or phobic persons?
♦ Mitigate hyper-vigilance and fear
If the allergic or phobic condition in question, rises to
♦ Provide a safe grounding presence
the legal definition of a disability, then BOTH the
♦ Mitigate paranoia w/reality testing allergic or phobic person and the client with a PSD
must be accommodated at the location. Remember,
Where are PSD allowed to go? very few allergic or phobic conditions are disabilities,
under the law. However, it is best to err on the side
PSD are allowed to access public spaces including of safety. Welcome the PSD team and ask the aller-
but not limited to: restaurants, hospitals, air- gic or phobic person to sit away from the dog.
planes, doctor’s offices, cabs, zoos, stores, etc.
How may I support my client’s decision to
use a PSD?
Where may PSD be lawfully excluded?
Keep an open mind. Help your client build a support
PSD may be lawfully excluded from private spaces team (e.g., physician, therapist, trainer, peers). Surf
including but not limited to private homes, coun- the internet to educate yourself about PSD. Ask
try clubs, churches, etc. They may also be ex- your client how the dog is being trained to assist her.
cluded from spaces where their presence would If your clinical judgment supports you to do so,
constitute a safety risk (e.g., operating rooms, provide the client with a letter of disability that
research laboratories, constructions sites) or situa- expresses support for her use of a PSD. Join the free
tions in which the animal poses a direct threat to PSDS clinicians’ listserv.
others.