This lecture discusses the expanding roles of dogs in society. Topics discussed include legal recognition of service, therapy, facility and emotional support dogs. Following is the abstract Dogs' roles in society are expanding, whether as companions or assuming special roles for assistance or therapy by volunteers or human health professionals. Many changes are appearing in new research findings and evolving regulatory and legislative updates around the roles of dogs in society. Animals' psychosocial effects for people rest on theoretical perspectives with associated physiological and psychosocial processes. And, practical applications of human-animal interactions for therapy or enhanced quality of life continue to increase. One complication is the inconsistent vocabulary used for assistance, service and therapy dogs' roles for vulnerable people. Whatever their specific roles, animals can offer psychosocial benefits: normalize and enhance quality of life by alleviating loneliness or depression for those with mental illness or disabilities, increase social interactions, motivate people, and improve physiological health with calming effects. Animals increasingly in the U.S. offer personalized assistance or emotional support, especially dogs; various species can provide a nexus with the person's needs, with access permitted in housing and transport. Recent robots imitate the actions of assistance dogs or emotionally-supporting animals. One next step is for health professionals to deliver personally targeted and tailored treatments.

Sponsor:E-training for dogs
Speaker(s):Lynette Hart Ph.D

Contact: Cheryl Aguiar
 Email: cheryl@e-trainingfordogs.com
 Phone: 970-231-9965
 Web: http://e-trainingfordogs.com/