Take Two Walks and Call Me in the Morning
When Jill* opened her own tavern in Baltimore city, she brought her beloved dog Cherry* in with her every day to help her meet and greet patrons. Jill had always struggled with anxiety issues, and the pressures of running a business and working long hours—often alone, always at night—started to wear on her. Her therapist suggested writing her a prescription for anti-anxiety medication, but Jill didn’t like the idea of taking medication. So instead, her doctor wrote Jill a prescription for Cherry, her dog.
To fill her prescription, Jill had Cherry evaluated by a professional trainer for aggression, inappropriate barking (alert barking is fine), and an ability to calmly interact with other dogs. Cherry passed all tests with flying colors, except for needing a little work on controlling her barking. Today, 10 year-old Cherry proudly dons the red vest of a service dog and accompanies Jill to work each day and out on daily errands.
It’s important here to note that dogs like Cherry that are used for emotional support, that are not task-trained, are called emotional support animals, not therapy dogs.
The Psychiatric Service Dog Society (PSDS), a nonprofit organization dedicated to responsible Psychiatric Service Dog (PSD) education, advocacy, research and training facilitation, can provide information for persons disabled by severe mental illness who want to consider training a service dog to assist with managing symptoms. The group consults regularly with mental healthcare providers in their efforts to learn more about PSD, through many services, including an online community of service dog handlers. While the PSDS does not provide or train dogs, it’s a great resource and can point you in the right direction.
While it’s worked out well for Jill and Cherry, it’s important to remember that not every case is the same, and that not every dog can become a personal therapy dog. It’s best to consult with your doctor before choosing this line of treatment.
*to respect the privacy of the owner and her dog, both names have been changed
