International Assistance Dog Week (IADW) was created to recognize all the devoted, hardworking assistance dogs helping individuals mitigate their disability related limitations.
The goals of IADW are to:
- Recognize and honor assistance dogs
- Raise awareness and educate the public about assistance dogs
- Honor puppy raisers and trainers
- Recognize heroic deeds performed by assistance dogs in our communities
There are several training programs for service dogs in the Atlanta area, specializing in training for mobility, hearing, seizure and psychiatric.
If you encounter a working service dog, please follow these rules of etiquette:
- Do not touch the Service Animal, or the person it assists, without permission.
- Do not make noises at the Service Animal; it may distract the animal from doing its job.
- Do not feed the Service Animal; it may disrupt his/her schedule.
- Do not be offended if the person does not feel like discussing his/her disability or the assistance the Service Animal provides. Not everyone wants to be a walking-talking “show and tell” exhibit.
Visit www.assistancedogweek.org or www.workinglikedogs.com for more details.
