Service dogs are able to help people with a wide variety of physical and mental disabilities. These dogs are well-trained, can learn specific tasks, and some of them can even learn about a person’s specific emotional state to provide support. While this may be the case, that doesn’t always mean a service dog is easy to get, especially if you don’t know where to start.
Not only are service dogs expensive, but some conditions may require more extensive training than others, like autism. Luckily, in this guide we’re here to help. Read on to learn more about how to get a free service dog for autism.
Understanding a Service Dog
A service dog is a special type of companion animal. These are dogs that have protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), so they can accompany someone in public spaces. Service dogs also have protections from the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), which allows them to fly on commercial airlines with someone without fees or restrictions.
While service dogs have a lot of protections in place, you’ll find that there is a reason. That reason? Extensive training. In order for service dogs to assist people with physical and mental disabilities, they need to have the proper training to help someone. Not only do they need to be trained to help someone, but they also have to be trained to ignore external influences that can distract them.
Overall, this is what separates a service dog from an emotional support animal (ESA) and even from a therapy dog.
Does Autism Qualify for a Service Dog?
Now that you know what a service dog is, you may be wondering if autism is a disability that qualifies for a service dog. Thankfully, you’ll find that autism is one of many disabilities that qualify for a service dog. In fact, service dogs can help people with autism in numerous ways. Some examples include:
- Assisting with social interactions.
- Preventing someone with autism from wandering around.
- Helping with specific tasks or physical disabilities someone may have.
- Fetching medications or ensuring that someone wakes up on time.
These are only a few ways that a service dog can help with autism, and you’ll find that many more are possible.
How to Get a Free Service Dog for Autism
If you want to get a service dog for autism, you usually have to pay for a trained dog and jump through some other hoops. Thankfully, there are a few ways for you to get a free service dog for autism, or at least a reduced-fee service dog. Discover the best methods below.
Nonprofits
One of the best ways to get a free service dog for autism is to work with a nonprofit. These organizations will help you get a service dog for autism without having to pay. Just make sure you work with an organization that’s accredited for service dog training, specifically for autism tasks.
Some great nonprofits you can work with include:
- Paws 4 Autism
- BluePath
- Pawsitive Teams
- Canine Companions
While many of these nonprofits will help you get a service dog for autism for free, keep an eye out for some small fees. For example, some of these organizations may charge you an equipment fee or even an adoption fee.
Check Local Resources
Another great way to get a free service dog is to check local resources in your area. There may be foundations set up by nonprofits or cities that provide people with free service dogs.
You’ll need to ensure that these local resources have service dogs for autism, and you won’t find options in every city, but it’s worth checking. Freedom Guide Dogs is an example for New York, and every state may have some unique options available.
Training a Service Dog for Autism Yourself
Last but not least, you can always try and train a service dog for autism on your own. You may be able to find a dog to adopt for a low cost, and then you can find free training programs and get to work. This method works best if you have the time to train a service dog, though it may be hard for someone who has autism to train the dog effectively.
Understanding How to Get a Free Service Dog for Autism
Learning how to get a free service dog for autism is a huge advantage. It helps you save money on the cost of a dog, and you may even be able to avoid the cost of training. Of course, make sure you consider all of your options. Sometimes it might even make sense to pay for a service dog if you need one for autism and can’t find one available for free.