Service dogs are an important resource, and can commonly be seen on the Wright State University (WSU) campus, thanks to the accessible campus, which even includes a service dog park. While many students utilize service dogs or help train them, many individuals on and off campus are not properly educated on how to interact with on-duty dogs.
Understanding service dogs
To understand the importance of properly respecting service dogs, it is essential to know how service animals are defined and what they are used for.
“A service animal is defined exclusively as a dog that is trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability under the applicable laws noted above. (By statute, a miniature horse that has been similarly trained may also qualify as a service animal.) / The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual's disability,” WSU’s service animal use policy reads.
Work and tasks include alerts for seizures, heart rate, blood sugar and other conditions, as well as tasks like helping their handler balance, pushing a wheelchair, providing deep tissue therapy, picking up dropped items, retrieving snacks and many more.
Service dogs’ work ranges from helpful to life-saving, and the animals provide constant companionship for their handlers, especially beneficial for those with anxiety disorders.
Service dogs at WSU
As mentioned, WSU features a dog park, where only service dogs are allowed to play and enjoy nature off-duty.
“Nationally recognized for its commitment to students with disabilities, [WSU] was one of the first universities in the country to offer an on-campus dog park reserved for service animals,” Wingerd Service Dog Park’s informational page reads.
Kat Sprowl is the president of Raider Pups and an elementary education major at WSU. They have had their service dog, Maaza, a Golden Retriever, for about eight years. She was trained through 4 Paws for Ability, a local service dog training agency.
In a process Sprowl compared to a dating app, dogs try out various types of tasks before matching with their best one. They will go on to a handler who has a need for their skill. Maaza primarily does seizure alert for Sprowl, but has also learned other skills to help with mobility.
“I can't tell when I feel like I'm [going to] have a seizure. It just kind of happens. I don't always have those signs. So being able to have her, who I know can smell one out and can tell me that it's going to happen, is a lot easier, versus taking those chances,” Sprowl said.
In their time together, Maaza has also had four litters of puppies, who all attended service dog training. While not all of them passed their lessons, she is the proud mother of nine service dogs. One of these also went on to be a breeder, making Maaza a grandmother.
Sprowl has a lot of insight and expertise as the president of Raider Pups, and as someone who has been in the service dog space for many years. They have learned how to advocate for themself and other service dog handlers, which often starts with education and telling people the proper etiquette.
How to behave around service dogs
One important piece of information that Sprowl gave about Maaza was that if she is not wearing her service vest and lead, she is not working. However, when the pair is out in public, and Maaza is wearing her full outfit, she is on duty.
Sprowl has experienced going out in public and people trying to get Maaza’s attention. To put this in perspective, Sprowl shared the worst possible risks that can be associated with on-duty dogs being distracted by other people in their environment.
“Distracting a service dog can lead to medical episodes. Medical episodes can lead to more severe cases. That can lead to somebody's life being at risk; that's a very extreme case, but it's definitely possible. I mean, it literally could just be like petting a dog and the dog misses it,” Sprowl said.
They explained that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) lists service dogs as similar to other types of mobility aides and devices that help people function daily.
“Under the ADA, they are a medical device. Treat them as such. You would not go up and pet an oxygen tank,” Sprowl said. “Talk to the person and not the dog. A lot of people like to approach me, and they talk to Maaza, and I just sit there.”
Sprowl expressed that they do not mind if someone approaches them and asks about Maaza, as long as they speak to Sprowl first. Sprowl has gotten better at using their voice to express their needs, so sometimes, they will set boundaries. Often, though, Sprowl will tell people about Maaza and even allow them to pet her.
The biggest message Sprowl wants to share is that talking to the person first is essential. This allows the handler to set boundaries for the interaction that suit their personal medical needs at the moment.
To learn more, read a book by a WSU alumnus
Anjali Edwards graduated from WSU in December 2022 and published a book in June 2023. Entitled “It Takes Two to Make a Team: How Service Animals Can Change the Lives of their Handlers,” her book introduces several handlers and their animals, exploring their various experiences. The target demographic is ages 8 to 12, but all ages can learn from the message.
Edwards’s book further discusses service animals and their various uses. She interviewed, researched, wrote and illustrated the book herself, spreading what she wishes all people could learn and understand about handlers.
“I want to pick up cereal, milk, eggs and be on my way. A five-minute trip like that for other people takes me 20 to 30 minutes because people stop and ask to pet my dog and ask what’s wrong with me,” Edwards said, in a quote to the Wright State Newsroom. “If I feel like it, I will stop and answer questions. But if I am in a lot of pain or super tired, answering questions is not on my to-do list.”
For those times, Edwards’s book is available with information about her, her life and the service dog she had when writing it, as well as others’ experiences and beliefs. To learn more about the amazing ways that service dogs can impact their handlers, you can purchase Edwards’s book here.
