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Psychosocial implications of service dog ownership for people who have mobility or hearing impairments
D P Valentine1, M Kiddoo, B LaFleur
1College of Social Work, University of South Carolina, Columbia 29208.
Social Work in Health Care
|January 1, 1993
Abstract:
Service dogs for people with mobility impairments and hearing ear dogs for persons with hearing impairments have grown in popularity because the important practical tasks these dogs perform enhance the independence of their owners. Little is known about the psychosocial impact of service dog ownership, however. The results of a survey of 24 owners and seven trainers on the psychosocial benefits and liabilities of service dog ownership are presented and the implications for social work practice are discussed.