Many blind, deaf, or physically
disabled Americans rely on dogs for assistance. These dogs provide
the perfect combination of companionship, obedience, usefulness
and affection. They provide practical aide and help maintain
an individual's independence.
ASSISTANCE DOGS FOR LIVING
Assistance Dogs For
Living (ADL) is a program providing education, training, advocacy
and networking for those individuals with disabilities seeking
or using assistance dogs.
For those individuals training
independently, ADL serves as a professional resource for questions
concerning temperament, selection, skill assessment, and training
techniques. It is often difficult to know where to begin when
considering an assistance dog. Through our professional consulting
services, ADL separates fact from fiction by providing correct
information for research, referrals to programs and an array
of other resources.
The ADL Team Training Program is designed to coach the disabled
individual or to assist the trainer of choice in training that
disabled individual’s own dog to assist them. Each dog's
temperament is first evaluated. Once the dog has been determined
to be a good candidate – and most dogs are, the dog is then
taught basic obedience skills. With individualized instruction,
the disabled individual and his/her dog begins to work as a team.
Once the dog's behavior and skills are appropriate, the team
learns to take the new skills to function in public. Enhancement
of skills and additional tasks are all part of the continued
relationship ADL continues to provide these teams. ADL has a
Registration / Certification program available for assistance
dog teams.
ADL’s advocacy specialist, Marilyn Pona is available for
advocacy support, serving as a mediator, coordinator or resource.
ADL maintains a speakers bureau
for public seminars and presentations. ADL also provides seminars,
consulting, coaching and mentoring to trainers and appropriate
programs.
THE HISTORY OF ASSISTANCE
DOGS FOR LIVING
Assistance Dogs for Living was founded by its director, Marilyn
Pona, in 1993.
Marilyn exemplifies and understands
the need for independence, as a survivor of post-polio syndrome.
She herself found dependency frustrating and isolating. Out of
that experience, she founded St. Louis Support Dogs, one of the
first assistance dog programs in the Midwest. Since then, she
has devoted her life to giving people with disabilities a new
chance for increased independence through the skills of a canine
partner.
As a professional canine behavior and training specialist, she
has spent over 20 years working with owners and pets on better
relationships. She works with assistance and companion dogs who
might have a training or behavior problem or just difficulties
acclimating to a new environment.
Marilyn is proud to be a pioneer
in the assistance dog industry. As an advocate for the disabled,
she promoted service dog legislation giving people with disabilities
the right to be accompanied by an assistance dog, which eventually
become Missouri law. Marilyn has opened many doors for assistance
dog partnerships both at the state and national level. As the
executive director at Support Dogs in St. Louis for 10 years,
she was honored as one of Presidents Bush's "Thousand Points
of Light," in 1990.
Developing assistance dog programs
and using a canine partner herself has given Marilyn a unique
perspective and philosophy. Marilyn believes that a person can
reclaim independence through the relationship that an assistance
dog can provide. This is the mission of ADL.
ASSISTANCE
DOGS RESOURCES
Teamwork and Teamwork II
These are "how-to" books for people with disabilities
that wish to train their own service dogs from Top Dog.
800 North Swan, Suite 126
Tucson Arizona 85711-1262
Phone: 520.323-6677 FAX 520.323-3512
Toll Free: (888) 257-6790
Info@topdog.org
http://www.topdog.org
Lend Me An Ear by Martha Hoffman
The Temperament, Selection, and Training of the Hearing Ear Dog
Doral Publishing
Phone (800) 633-5385
http://www.doralpub.com
The Delta Society Bookstore
http://www.deltasociety.org
ASSISTANCE DOGS EQUIPMENT
Wolf Packs Inc. Gear for Working
Dogs
Back packs, vests, patches and more.
1940 Soda Mountain Rd. # I
Ashland, OR 97520
Phone (541) 482-7669
http://www.wolfpacks.com
Trainers Choice Working Harnesses, Leashes and more.
231 Morrison Road
Columbus, Ohio 43213
Phone (614) 864-0336 FAX (614) 759-4718
Toll Free: (800) 678-7353
http://www.k9stuff.com
J and J Dog Supplies Leashes, Collars, Gentle Leaders,
Books
P.O. Box 1517
Galesburg, Illinois 61402
Phone (309) 344-2950 FAX (309) 344-3522
Toll Free: (800) 642-2050
comments@jandjdog.com
http://www.jandjdog.com/index.htm
Ruff Rider Products, L.L.C.
Canine Vehicle Restraints and
Roadie Assist-Canine Vehicle Restraint for Service Dogs
(The 5 Roadie Assist)
946 Vetch Circle
Lafayette, CO 80026
Toll Free: (888) 783-3743 or (303) 926-5589
emailus@ruffrider.com
http://www.ruffrider.com
ADVOCACY / EDUCATION / LEGISLATION
Assistance Dogs For Living
Program Director - Marilyn Pona
1700 Acacia Club Road Hollister, Missouri 65672
(417) 332-2681 / FAX (417) 332-1492
adl@marilynpona.com
Department of Justice - ADA Information
Line
Washington, D.C
(800) 514-0301
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
(800) 669-9777
International Association
Of Assistance Dog Partners
(IAADP)
Contact Person: Joan Froling
P.O. Box 1326
Sterling Heights, MI 48311
Phone (810) 826-3938
http://iaadp.org
IAADP Assistance Dog Laws and Legal Resources
http://www.iaadp.org/doglaws.html
Delta Society-National Service Dog Center
289 Perimeter Road East
Renton, WA 98055-1329
(800) 869-6898, Ext. 25
(425) 226-7357 Monday - Friday FAX (425) 235-1076
info@deltasociety.org
http://www.deltasociety.org/dsb400.htm
Assistance Dogs International, Inc.
P.O. Box 150217
Lakewood, CO 80215-0217
info@assistance-dogs-intl.org
http://www.assistance-dogs-intl.org
MISSOURI RESOURCES
Governors Office For The Disabled in Jefferson City
Toll Free: (800) 877-8249 (Voice and TTY)
(573) 751-2600 (Voice and TTY) - FAX (573) 526-4109
Governors Office For The Disabled - Regional Offices
St. Louis Area
Agent, Linda Baker Oberst
(314) 367-4325 (Voice and TTY)
Kansas City Area
(816) 373-0353 (voice and TTY)
Missouri Commission on Human Rights
(573) 751-1966
dcavitte@mail.state.mo.us
Attorney General of Missouri
Toll Free: (800) 392-8222
Missouri Statewide Reference Center
Toll
Free: 1-800-633-0603
The President of The United
States has an Office For The Disabled; in each state the Governors
Office also has an Office For The Disabled. You can contact that
office to research the State Statute that pertains to Assistance
Dogs. The Federal Law refers to Assistance
Dogs as Service Dogs, you may find the terminology varies from
state to state.
The Mayor of your city also has an Office
For The Disabled, contact that office to obtain information
about ordinances pertaining to Assistance Dogs in your community.
It is recommended that you obtain a copy and become familiar
with the section of your local ordinance pertaining to Assistance
Dogs, your State Statute and the Federal
Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). It is often helpful
to carry a copy of all three, or at least the reference numbers.
To You may find the listing for the Governor, Mayor or County
Official in the Blue Pages of your Telephone Book, a public Library,
your state library or call the general information department
at your State Capitol, City Hall or County Government Office.
