From the Yorkton News Review
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can affect anyone following highly stressful situations, but among the most frequent sufferers are Veterans returning from war. Living with the long-term condition creates further stress, stress that easily spreads to others who are close to the sufferer.
That’s where man’s best friend comes in – in this case psychiatric service dogs, trained to help someone with a mental health condition. They do this by performing certain tasks in response to cues from their owner, helping them manage many of the common symptoms of PTSD, and guiding them away from stressful situations. They also give physical support if their owner loses his or her balance.
Veterans who benefit from the use of service dogs for mental health conditions will welcome a recent announcement from Veterans Affairs Canada. Its Minister, the Hon. Erin O’Toole, during a visit to the National Service Dogs House and Training Centre in Cambridge, Ontario, announced the decision to set national standards for service dogs.
– See more at: http://www.yorktonnews.com/opinion/columnists/national-standards-being-set-for-service-dogs-1.1973177#sthash.0v6QJcVT.dpuf
