Can Rescue Dogs Save Lives Too? Exploring Their Service Potential

In this episode, Stacie dives into the remarkable skills and contributions of service dogs and the transformative potential of rescue dogs to become one. Expect a deep dive into folks who already see benefits from a trained canine, including vets with PTSD and kids with autism.

Stacie highlights key statistics showing the rising need for service dogs—from improving lives to delivering economic benefits. She also shares the heartwarming story of The Big Fix project in Northern Uganda, where civil war survivors and rescued street dogs are paired to help each other heal.

Resources:

1. Pet Statistics (ASPCA)
2. Facts & Figures (Coalition for Pets & Public Safety)
3. Industry Stats & Trends (APPA)
4. 2024 Stats (AKC)
5. AKC Detection Dog Task Force Report (AKC)
6. National Animal Welfare Statistics (SAC)
7. The Big Fix Uganda
8. Animal Assisted Intervention & Research (Research Gate)
9. Let’s Hear it for Autism Assistance Dogs (ADI)
10. Blindness and Visual Impairment (WHO)
11. Deafness and Hearing Loss (WHO)
12. Disability Impacts All of Us Infographic (CDC)
13. National Diabetes Statistics Report (CDC)
14. Epilepsy Data and Statistics (CDC)
15. Food Allergies (AAAAI)
16. Autism Data and Statistics (CDC)
17. Anxiety Disorders & Major Depression (NIMH)
18. PTSD in Veterans (VA)
19. ADHD Data and Statistics (CDC)
20. Child Abuse and Neglect Fast Facts (CDC)
21. National Survey of Children's Health (NCSH)
22. Loneliness and Social Connections (AARP)
23. Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures (Alzheimer’s Association)
24. Burnout Among Health Care Professionals (NAM)
25. Suicide Facts at a Glance (CDC)

Chapters

• 0:32 The Role of Service Dogs
• 2:01 Guidance and Alert Dogs
• 3:00 Medical Alert Dogs
• 3:58 Service Dogs for PTSD and Autism
• 6:57 Emotional Support and Therapy Dogs
• 8:11 Working Dogs and Police Canine Units
• 8:39 Athletic and Performance Dogs
• 8:56 The Big Fix: Healing in Uganda
• 13:42 Statistics on Canine Assistance
• 24:48 Economic Impact of Canines
• 25:49 Conclusion and What's Next

Transcript

  Hey everyone, it's Stacey and this is the Human Canine Alliance Podcast. And today we're going to take a look at the proven skills canines have to offer. How they're already doing that in society today. 

And we will also take a look at the vast range of needs that people have from physical to emotional to cognitive. Okay, let's get started.

 📍 What do service dogs do? 

In short, they assist individuals with mobility, guidance and alert. Medical, PTSD, autism, and I'm about to go through each of these and just give you highlights as to just how helpful they are in these cases and in these situations, okay? 

So, let's start off with mobility.

 Service dogs trained in mobility assistance are vital for individuals with physical disabilities, such as those using wheelchairs, walkers, or crutches.  What are some of the things that these dogs do for them? They pick up dropped objects like keys, phones, or wallets. They are bringing items like medications, water bottles, remote control, opening and closing doors.

They're acting as a brace for stability, such as standing or balancing. They are pulling manual wheelchairs to reduce the strain on their owner.  And they're even turning on and off. 

So many little things that most of us don't even think about doing, but these are little things that become a problem for someone who has mobility issues and then they have to depend on other people to help them get along, right?

 Having a trained mobility dog really can make a difference in someone's life. 

So, moving along to guidance and alert dogs, they are around to help those people who may have seeing or hearing disabilities. And so they're going to help them with navigation skills. They can even help them with decision making.

And so for example, they can disobey a command if the result is going to be a problem, like an unsafe situation for the owner or for the dog or for both of them.  And an example of this would be like stepping into traffic. They can create spatial awareness for  their handler in crowds.

 For example, they can help them navigate a safe path where they're not going to be bumping into people and then they also can be a sound alert system for those who have hearing issues because, you know, we have alarms, phones ringing, babies crying, and  they can hear it and so therefore they can go touch their owner and let them know that something's going on.

And then getting even a little bit more advanced, we're talking about medical alert dogs, and they are trained to detect changes in their handler's body that indicate a medical event, often before it becomes severe.

Their heightened sense of smell and ability to read human behavior is what makes this possible. So what do they do for their handlers? They detect seizures and monitor blood sugar before something happens. and they're also trained to respond if something does happen and then they can sniff out allergens.

like peanuts, shellfish, gluten before the exposure happens and help them to avoid consuming or touching the allergen. and they can also recognize symptoms like irregular heart rhythms or difficulty breathing. and they can notify the handler to take precautions or to seek help. And also, as I mentioned before, they can be trained to respond  in the case of an emergency as well.

And then service dogs are also used for anxiety in many cases of PTSD and autism and their tasks are meant to help alleviate symptoms and increase independence while providing emotional and sensory regulation for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. And we're talking real results.

There is actual research suggesting that petting a dog for 15 minutes can lower blood pressure by up to 10%.

So, some of the tasks these dogs would do,  one of them would be to ground the person during a panic attack. And they would do this by providing deep pressure therapy by lying on the handler's chest or lap and using tactile simulation like licking or nudging to distract and calm them.

They can do crowd management. They will create physical space in crowded areas by positioning themselves between the handler and others and guide the handler to a quieter location to prevent from sensory overload.  They can also interrupt anxious behaviors like pacing or pulling at the hair,  by nudging them or pawing them to stop the repetitive actions and to try to redirect their focus.

And you guys, as I was doing this research, the need for autism assistance dogs is growing year over year.  One recent study in the UK found the number of autism diagnosis in adulthood has jumped over 400 percent from 2001 to 2016. And while there has been a spike in programs training and providing autism assistance dogs, the demand far outweighs the current supply.

Extended past PTSD and autism, canines are also able to help in places like self harm prevention. so for example, the individual may engage in self harming actions , such as cutting, scratching, or hitting themselves. And the dog, similar to what we were talking about with autism a minute ago, it would nudge the person, or paw at them, and place their body Against the individual in order to distract them and redirect their focus.

Similar to those with obsessive compulsive behaviors, the dog could help interrupt repetitive actions,  such as compulsively washing their hands, tapping objects. checking locks.  The dog would gently block the person's access,  or nudge them away from the behavior or bring them a toy to try to divert their attention even.

 And also dissociation is something dogs can help with because in moments of dissociation, a person may stare blankly, become unresponsive, or perform repetitive automatic actions. And the dog might lick the person's hands or face, bark or nudge them to encourage grounding and re engagement with the environment.

A lot of what I just outlined for service dogs. overlaps with the skills that emotional support dogs offer.  So we'll just hit the highlights for emotional support dogs. 

 Their purpose is to provide comfort and companionship to individuals with mental health or emotional conditions, and their key skills are offering a calming presence, reducing symptoms of anxiety or depression through proximity, through the closeness of being with the person, and then building emotional bonds to alleviate loneliness or distress.

 Unlike service dogs or emotional support dogs, there's also therapy dogs. And therapy dogs do not perform specific tasks, nor do they typically support individuals. Instead, they work with their handlers to improve the well being of groups or individuals in settings like hospitals, schools, nursing homes or disaster zones by providing affection and emotional comfort.

And their key skills are, to have a gentle demeanor and an ability to interact with many people, to respond calmly in an unpredictable environment or situation so they don't help, they don't create a stressful situation. And then also to offer emotional support to groups rather than individuals.

And then, of course, there are working dogs and police canine units that serve in military, federal, or private sectors.  They focus on detecting explosives or narcotics. Tracking suspects or missing persons, protecting officers and apprehending criminals,  search and rescue like disaster recovery, herding livestock or guarding properties, and then also advanced medical detection such as cancer, diabetes, and infectious diseases.

And last but not least,  we also have our athletic and performance dogs. Their key skills include agility and speed, Which they use to navigate obstacle courses and other things like that. They have a high drive and a focus for sports like dock diving or fly ball, and  they also entertain such as tricks and movie stunts. 

Okay, I know that was a lot of information so let's take a quick break  and when we come back I'm going to start off with the story of the Big Fix and how they have found success pairing northern Uganda survivors with surviving street dogs to treat the highly prevalent PTSD and suicide rates after their 20 year civil war ended.

It's an incredible story. I hope you continue to listen.

Thanks for sticking around. This is the Human Canine Alliance podcast and per usual, we're just going to jump right into it. So as I said, right before the break, I'm going to tell you the story, about the big fix in Uganda. 

📍 So I watched a prime documentary called We Don't Deserve Dogs and learned for the first time about the Comfort Dog Project, which is run by the U S based nonprofit, the big fix Uganda, which since 2014 has been pairing Uganda survivors with former street dogs who also have experienced a high level of trauma.

 About 700, 000 people in Northern Uganda survived a brutal 20 year long civil war. 30, 000 children were abducted and forced to witness or commit horrendous crimes in order to survive.

And when survivors returned home, they lived in stigma, isolation, severe PTSD, with practically no mental health resources. Uganda has just one psychiatrist per million people.

Yes, you heard that right. One psychiatrist for every one million people. And tragically, too many people suffered alone. And so too many people were choosing not to live  and help change this course of survivors lives. The comfort dog aimed to pair survivors with former street dogs who had also suffered.

But here was the big problem. In general, Ugandans feared dogs because of rabies, which were regularly terrorizing their communities and claiming lots of their lives on top of the war. And so it caused separation between the people and the dogs.

Up to this point, dogs were only used for hunting and security and they were usually left to find their own food and water. people did not supply that for them.  Veterinary care was not available. In fact, before the arrival of the big fix, was a saying in Northern Uganda for people who fell ill and had no money to help. The saying was, you will heal like a dog. 

Once the big fix got to work, 12 teams of human and canine survivors became the first of dozens to complete a 20 week long training and bonding program. And it didn't take long for bonds to develop between the guardians and their dogs and they say instinctively, the dogs learned to comfort their guardians and healing occurred.

Now, there's a new saying in northern Uganda and that saying is, you will heal with a dog. 

In the documentary, they interviewed several of the Uganda survivors who each sat there with their dogs. And one woman shared that since they have been through so much trauma, people tend to name their dogs based on life experiences.

And she had named her dog Loke Oroma, which translates to your words can't hurt me. Another woman shared that her dog has helped her create new memories and focus on other things versus what she has seen in the past, such as her family members dying in front of her in brutal ways. 

And while I couldn't find any quantifiable stats, participants have reported reduced feelings of isolation, decreased anxiety, and an enhanced sense of purpose, which all align with an improved sense of self and reason to live. 

This story completely supports the assumption that the Human Canine Alliance is making when we say, Let's train rescue dogs to be service dogs, emotional support dogs, autism assistance dogs.

They have the capabilities and we have the needs .

So let's get into some stats. You might be saying, okay Stace, you've proven to me that canines have a vast array of potential, but how much demand do we have for that in society? Really? 

 Well, I did some digging and I have stats , so let's talk about it. Let's start with anxiety and depression. Approximately 86 million U. S. adults, 26. 5 percent of our population, Suffer from anxiety and depression. 

And data shows that emotional support animals have the ability to reduce anxiety and depression symptoms for 65 percent of people who try it as a remedy. It's no secret that anxiety and depression are amongst American's most prevalent problems.

To put it in perspective, the global market for antidepressants alone is expected to be $20 billion by 2027. And the CDC says Mental health care costs are some of the most expensive health issues in the US with indirect costs for depression alone, estimated at $210 billion.

 42 million, almost 13 percent, of U. S. children are diagnosed to be autistic with ADHD, or with another developmental disability. And in 70 to 75 percent of those cases, assistance dogs have proven to improve sensory regulation and safety along with providing emotional regulation and confidence .

 PTSD, approximately 19 and a half million us people, about 6 percent of our population manage some sort of PTSD. In fact, Stats show a range when it comes to veterans, but the range is between 11 and 20 percent of the 20 million veterans we have here in the U S today have to manage PTSD 

and so when I was looking into these stats, I uncovered kind of a Pandora's box of ways that. Support dogs are helping veterans 

so train dogs Reduce medication reliance by 40 percent when it comes to veterans 60 to 80 percent increase in social interactions, meaning that veterans feel more comfortable attending public events, grocery stores, or family gatherings with their service dog present. Over 70 percent of veterans with service dogs reported fewer sleep disturbances and less nightmares. 87 percent of veterans reported fewer emotional outbursts, better mood stabilization, increased resilience when paired with their service dog.

Veterans with PTSD who had a service dog showed a 25 percent reduction in cortisol levels, indicating decreased physiological stress. 90 percent of veterans feel a renewed sense of purpose and routine once they're paired with a service dog. And let's just touch a little on the economic impact that this has 

the lifetime cost of PTSD treatment per veteran can exceed 50, 000. It's estimated that service dogs can help reduce this by 10, 000 to 15, 000. per vet, primarily by the reduction in medication and in therapy costs. And that's not to mention all the other benefits I just talked about that are actually going to be improving their lives so they can become functioning citizens of society again.

And then veterans with PTSD and service dogs report a 30 to 40 percent increase in employment or volunteerism rates. I mean, you guys, I just don't understand how all these numbers are out here and we're still killing these dogs and we're still spending billions of dollars on big pharma, which that's a whole nother podcast episode to be had .

 But anyway, let me move on I also want to touch on trauma or abuse recovery because approximately 10. 4 million children, one in seven, experience abuse or neglect every year in America. Examples of this are physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, or neglect, and they end up dealing with mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. and long term cognitive challenges many times.  And therapy animals have been proven to reduce anxiety in 80 percent of child participants 

The dogs create a social bridge encouraging the children to engage in conversations and helping them to make positive choices.

 Okay. Diabetes. One of the most prevalent health conditions in the U. S., its impact extends well beyond the 34 million individuals who live with it  and to put this one in perspective, annual costs of diabetes in the U. S. exceeds 327 billion. 

Meanwhile, diabetic alert dogs have proven to improve blood sugar control by sensing sugar levels before the handler would need to go to a medical facility, which has resulted in a reduction of medical emergencies by 65%.

These numbers are real. I have these resources in my show notes. Please look them up. Please dig harder. I mean, Prove it to yourself. These numbers are real. 

About the same amount of people living with diabetes are living with mobility challenges in America, Which is approximately 36 million U. S. people, or 11 percent of our population. 

Examples that this might look like physical impairments such as arthritis, multiple sclerosis, or cerebral palsy. As well as neurological disorders like Parkinson's disease or a stroke.

Spinal cord injuries and amputations that affect movement and coordination. the impact mobility assistance dogs have is they improve their handler's daily task performances by 70 percent. 

Another group in our population who could benefit from having a trained canine would be our elderly folks. And these are folks who are going to be 65 or older, approximately 14 million older adults are living alone.  That's 28 percent of 50 million older adults, and 6.

5 million are living with a cognitive challenge such as Alzheimer's or dementia. 

What kind of impact can these dogs have for these people? For those living alone, therapy dogs reduce loneliness in 75 percent of elderly participants, along with having positive effects on their physical and mental health and their social life.

Think back to those benefits I told you about with the vets, very, very similar when it comes to the social and the mental well being improvements. And then those for living with cognitive impairments, companion animals improve mood and reduce agitation in 60 to 70 percent of those cases.

And the last stat I have for the U. S. is for people with active epilepsy. And this is approximately 3.9 million people in the U. S., which is approximately 1.2 percent of our population. 

And these response dogs are called seizure response dogs. They reduce anxiety and improve seizure management in 85 percent of cases. 

Now these numbers are going to be global statistics coming from around the world. So, there are approximately 400 million people around the world with disabling hearing loss.

That's 5 percent of 8 billion. If you're wondering how many people are in the world, and trained dogs have been proven to assist with alerts and improve communication for 80 percent of handlers.

Visually impaired individuals around the world, there's approximately 160 million, which is about 2 percent of the global population and over 90 percent of handlers report improved independence and confidence . 

Then there's severe allergies. Approximately 80 million people around the world have life threatening allergies. And detection dogs provide nearly 100 percent accuracy in allergy detection.

So now let's talk about professionals and institutions. 

patient satisfaction increases by 65 percent with therapy animals in hospitals and hospice programs.

 But, therapy animals are not just beneficial to the patients. Over 60 percent of U.S. healthcare professionals, roughly 12.6 million out of the 21 million professionals that are in healthcare in the U. S., experience burnout. Therapy animals reduce stress in 50 percent of hospital programs.

Emergency responders also experience benefits  suicide rates in the emergency responder roles are one and a half times higher than the general population. Did you know that? I didn't know that. And emotional support animals improve coping mechanisms by 40%.

I'm going to pause here for a moment and let you know, I have added a future topic to THCA episodes and it's because of the rabbit hole. I went down looking up relational statistics between suicide, mental health, and canines. I will host an episode in the near future, deep diving into those numbers and anecdotes, and they are real, they are very necessary for us to discuss. 

Educational institutions, over 25 percent of us colleges, around 1600 colleges offer animal assisted therapy programs. And of those colleges, they have improved stress management in students by 60%. 

One other stat that I felt appropriate due to what feels like an influx of natural disasters happening all over the country, therapy animals provide emotional stability and improve natural disaster recovery rates by 30%. 

Okay. And if all those stats didn't add up to enough of a reason to save at least 400, 000 dogs per year, then let me also throw at you the significance  canines already have on just the U. S. economy, okay? In addition to contributing 150 billion by way of simply being pets, canines also influence our buying decisions.

For example, how many of us choose brands because they are cruelty free or not tested on animals? Companies invest in pet friendly products such as furniture and car interior materials because it's a selling point.

Brands use dogs in their ads to evoke warmth, loyalty, and trust, foster a deep connection, emotional connection with their audience. 

I mean, I could go on and on and on with this list, but I'll top it off with, When was the last time you stopped at Starbucks for a pup cup? I mean. We just did it yesterday.

 Alright, thank you for listening to this data packed episode of the Human Canine Alliance podcast. I know it was a lot to take in, but the best part about it is you can go back and listen to it again if you want to.

And I've included all of my resources in the show notes , And this show has 25 resources listed. So please use that list if you're interested in digging into this data further. 

Next week, I'm going to dial it back on the hard stats, because I know as much as we want to be educated, we can only soak in so much at a time. 

So next week, I plan to share stories like the Uganda story I shared in this episode today, where rescue dogs are adding value to individuals, families, and communities all over the world.

I hope you continue to listen.