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In Recognition of Service Above and Beyond…. National Service Dog Month

In Recognition of Service Above and Beyond…. National Service Dog Month
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September 18, 2025
in Humane Education Column
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By: Judy Hamontre, AVHS Vice Chair

On September 11, 2001, Michael Hingson, blind since birth, arrived to his office on the 78th floor of the World Trade Center, along with his guide dog, Roselle. Both settled into their morning routines. At 8:45 am a hijacked jetliner crashed into their North Tower, 18 floors above them.

Amid the chaos, noise and smoke Roselle, his Labrador Retriever, led Hingson and 30 other workers down 78 floors, 1,463 steps – an hour long trek – reaching the sidewalk just as Tower Two was collapsing. Guided by the calm Roselle, they ran for shelter down a subway entrance.

When they emerged, Tower One was starting to fall, raining down ash and debris. Roselle stayed true to her training and led Hingson 40 blocks to his friend’s apartment.

Their story became famous. Other service dogs have also saved lives by alerting their owners to a medical crisis, stopping their autistic young owners from running into traffic, unlocking and opening doors to provide escape from harm. The list goes on and often makes the news.

According to my friend’s brother who has paraplegia, his service dog, Pirate saves his life each day by enabling him to live more independently. “He is my arms, my legs, my peace of mind, and my best friend.”

These amazing dogs with extensive professional training, certainly deserve to have the month of September proclaimed as National Service Dog Month.

Dick Van Patten, founder of Natural Balance Pet Food, began a fundraising effort in 2008 for a guide dog training program. In 2009 Petco’s charitable organization got involved and decided to include all service dogs and moved the celebration from May to September. National Service Dog Month was born.

The month is dedicated to raising awareness and providing education about the value of service dogs. Among the 70 million Americans living with a disability, only a small fraction, 16,000, benefit from the assistance of task-trained service dogs. National Service Dog Month celebrates the invaluable impact that service dogs have on the lives of people with disabilities.

Service dogs, as defined by the American Disabilities Act (ADA), are canines that are professionally and individually trained to perform specific tasks for people with disabilities. These disabilities can be physical, sensory, psychiatric or intellectual/mental. The work of the service dog is directly related to the handler’s disability.

Guide dogs help blind people navigate the world. Hearing or signal dogs alert deaf people to sounds. Psychiatric dogs are trained to detect and lessen the effects of a psychiatric episode, including post-traumatic stress and brain injuries.

Mobility service dogs allow those in wheel chairs to live more independently by being their arms and legs – opening doors, turning lights off and on, picking up dropped items, and retrieving objects for their owner. Some are taught to pull wheel chairs, and others may assist with balance.

Autism assistance dogs are trained to help those on the autism spectrum sort out sensory stimulation and with autistic children, prevent them from wildly running away from something that startles them and unknowingly run into a real danger.

Medical alert dogs are trained for specific medical issues, such as: recognizing seizures and then standing guard over their owners during a seizure or going for help, or giving diabetic alerts, perhaps bringing orange juice or an insulin kit to their owners.

Allergy detection dogs are trained to identify specific allergens and alert their owners of dangers that may be present in their food or environment.

The list of tasks service dogs may fulfill goes on, depending on the special needs of the owner. Service dogs are essential companions for the individuals they serve, helping them live more independently, keeping them safe, and giving them confidence.

In recognition of their service above and beyond, September as National Service Dog Month recognizes and celebrates these amazing canine service companions who help support those with disabilities, allowing them to live a richer and more independent life.

 

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