This groundbreaking book begins with a fascinating discussion of the domestication of dogs, their adaptation over many centuries to life with people, and their changing role in today’s world. The struggle to establish the place of service dogs in society is outlined throughout the book by highlighting evolving laws and regulations. According to the author, much progress has been made on this front, but the new frontier is to gain the same recognition for therapy dogs. The breadth of canine potential to act as detection companions is also discussed in the first section. This book is intended for the general public and is easy to read.
The second part focusses primarily on specific legislation and key court cases arising from particular laws, including those concerning public transportation, public buildings, and housing discrimination. Some readers may find this section a bit tedious.
Part three is an engaging compilation of stories describing how service and therapy dogs are trained and how they work in day-to-day situations. The surprising abilities of some individual dogs and the incredible contribution they make to their owners’ lives are highlighted.
The fourth and final section describes the benefits that the owners, handlers, and trainers receive from their relationship with these dogs, as well as issues related to the licensing of a service dog.
This book will certainly give you a new appreciation for the remarkable abilities of service and therapy dogs, and for the dedication of all the people behind the movement to have these dogs recognized and accepted in society.