International Assistance Dog Week from August 4 to 10 has been recognized by City of Powell River.
At the July 30 special city council meeting, mayor Ron Woznow read a proclamation, indicating that assistance dogs provide invaluable services to people with physical, mention and/or emotional disabilities.
“International Assistance Dog Week provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the countless ways in which all assistance dogs transform the lives of their human partners by mitigating disability-related limitations,” said Woznow. “The City of Powell River joins participating organizations and concerned citizens in reaffirming our commitment to respect, celebrate and recognize the contribution of assistance dogs and their partners in our communities this International Assistance Dog Week and throughout the year. Assistance dogs include mobility service dogs, PTSD service dogs and accredited facility dogs.”
Woznow said mobility service dogs enable increased personal mobility and freedom for their clients to lead full and independent lives. This includes assisting people with disabilities in walking, balancing, dressing, transferring from place to place, retrieving and carrying items, opening doors and drawers, pushing buttons, pulling wheelchairs and completing household chores such as laundry.
Hearing dogs notify people with hearing loss of specific sounds such as doorbells, clock timers, telephones, buzzing timers or sensors, crying babies, sirens, voices and knocks at the door; they can also warn their client about smoke, fire and emergency alarms, said Woznow.
PTSD service dogs identify and/or respond to medical conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, balance issues, and chronic pain, or to oncoming medical events such as changes in heart rate, panic or anxiety episodes, added Woznow.
Finally, accredited facility dogs support healthy communities in partnership with community care professionals in therapeutic settings such as supporting children, victims of crime or vulnerable populations, said Woznow.
“Assistance dogs are working professionals, whose training is held to internationally recognized standards,” he added. “There are 148 PADS [Pacific Assistance Dogs Society] assistance dogs supporting the people of British Columbia, and two PADS assistance dogs live and work in the City of Powell River. International Assistance Dog Week provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the countless ways in which all assistance dogs transform the lives of their human partners by mitigating disability-related limitations.
“The city joins participating organizations and concerned citizens in reaffirming our commitment to respect, celebrate and recognize assistance dogs and their partners in our communities this International Assistance Dog Week and throughout the year.”
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