West Virginia University
REHABILITATION COUNSELING
JAN
Webcast
Best Practices
Employment and Service Dogs: Perspectives
from Assistance Dog Experts
Margaret K. Glenn, EdD, CRC
Associate Professor of Rehabilitation Counseling, Switzer Fellow
West Virginia University
Marcie Davis, President of Davis Innovations, Inc.
Founder of International Assistance Dog Week, Author of “Working Like Dogs:
The Assistance Dog Guidebook,” Host of the Working Like Dogs radio show
1
Definition
What is a service dog?
2
Service Dog
Definition
under the
ADA
A dog that is individually trained to
do work or perform tasks for a
person with a disability.
3
Definition
What types of service do service dogs
provide?
4
Examples of tasks:
Definition
• Guiding people who are blind;
• Alerting people who are deaf;
• Providing physical assistance to someone who
uses a wheelchair such as retrieving dropped
items or pulling a wheelchair;
• Protecting a person who is having a seizure;
• Reminding a person with mental disabilities to
take prescribed medications;
• Calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder during an anxiety attack, etc.
5
Service Dog
Super Powers

INSERT SUPER POWER DOG SHOT HERE
I help to:
• Lower blood
pressure,
• reduce
epinephrine and
norepinephrine,
• reduce anxiety,
• increase
endorphins,
• increase
oxytocin.
What's your
superpower?
6
• Increased confidence
What this
looks like for
the person
with a
disability
• Decreased health
concerns
• Increased
independence
• Increased social
interactions
7
• Healthy work
relationships
What might
this look like at
work?
• Modification of
tension
• Productivity
increases
• “Winston’s
naked!”
8
ADA
Access
Where are service dogs allowed?
9
ADA
Access

ADA Title II and III - State and local governments,
businesses, & nonprofit organizations that serve
the public generally must allow service animals to
accompany people with disabilities in all areas of
the facility where the public is normally allowed
to go. http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm
10
Service Dogs
and the ADA
Does Title I of the ADA require employers to
automatically allow employees with disabilities
to bring their service animals to work?
11
Service Dogs
and the ADA
Rests on the standard of reasonable accommodation
12
Service Dogs
and the ADA:
Questions
from
employers
What are some of the questions an employer can ask
an employee or applicant about their service dog?
What kind of documentation can employers ask for?
13
Service Dogs
and the ADA :
Main questions
for the
employment
arena
1. Is the dog a service animal required
because of a disability?
• Accommodation documentation
• Allows for medical needs
&
2. What work or task has the dog been
trained to perform?
• Specifics about training
14
Service Dogs
and the ADA :
Potential
concerns in
Accommodation
• Allergies
• Fear of dogs
• Disruption in the
workplace
• Etiquette
15
A person with a disability cannot be asked to
remove his service animal unless:
Service Dogs
and the ADA:
Disruption
 The dog is out of control and the handler does
not take effective action to control it or
 The dog is not housebroken.
 Undue hardship is determined by employer.
ADA Title II and Title III - Must offer the person
with a disability the opportunity to obtain goods
or services without the animal’s presence
16
Service Dogs
and the ADA:
What you will
most likely
experience

17
Service Dogs
at Work
How do you create a successful
partnership in the workplace?
What issues should you anticipate
and be prepared to address?
18
Exploratory Study of Elements of
Successful Service Dog
Partnerships in the Workplace
Categories
(1) Dog preparation
So how do we
make it work
at work?
(2) Monitoring
 27 Medications
(3) Employee competence
 Force hospitalizations
(4) Legal knowledge
(5) Information and education
(6) Coworker preparation
Switzer Distinguished Research
Fellowship, National Institute on Disability
& Rehabilitation Research
19
Dog
Preparation
Maintenance of behavior and task completion is
expected of the service dog team.
AKA -Training a Dane to ride in a plane
20
Monitoring
Every owner is responsible for his/her dog’s
behavior (and well-being).
21
Employee
Competence

Feeding

Bathing

Behavior

Vet Care

Creating boundaries (physical and social)

Walking dog

Rest breaks for dog during the day
Able to articulate the specific job related or supportive
task(s) that will include the service dog.
22
Legal
Knowledge
An informed
understanding by
employer & employee
or applicant of the
parameters, including
limits, regarding the
person with disabilities'
legal rights, both state &
federal, to the use of
service dogs in the
workplace.
23
Information &
Education
Availability of
educational
materials about
service dog teams
in the workplace
for potential
employers & job
seekers
24
Service Dogs
at Work
How can an employer and the employee
prepare for a service dog to come to work?
25
Communication is
key
Service Dogs
at Work:
Remember
Addressing it as an
accommodation
Talking to the employee
about his/her individual
needs is important
Think of the service dog
as an assistive device
&
A new coworker!
26
Service Dogs
at Work:
Tips on
welcoming
your new
colleague
27
JAN Resources on Service Animals
http://askjan.org/topics/servanim.htm
www.workinglikedogs.com
Questions?
Resources
www.assistancedogweek.org
www.servicedogsintheworkplace.com
Glenn, M. (2013). Exploratory study of the elements of
successful service dog partnerships in the workplace,
ISRN Rehabilitation, Vol. 2013,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/278025
28
Hearts of Gold Service Dogs
Human Animal Bond Org & WVU
Morgantown, WV
We would like
to thank our
rock star
canine models
Gander the Service Dog
Operation Fetch with Veteran Traveler
http://veterantraveler.com/fetch-travels-gander/
Sir Thomas Parkinson Service Dog
http://www.limyoga.com/service_dog_parkinsons/
Rethy - http://www.respectthevest.com
Parker Pup Therapy Dog - http://www.parkerpup.com
29
West Virginia University
REHABILITATION COUNSELING
Questions?
Contact
information:
Margaret Glenn, EdD
304.293.2276
MKGlenn@mail.wvu.edu
Marcie Davis
505-424-6631
davisinnovates@gmail.com
30