Service animals seems to be in the news a lot lately and there is a great deal of information available about the rights of individuals with disabilities to have service animals in public. Service animals can make a significant difference in the quality of life of people with disabilities. They can help make the world more accessible by assisting with mobility and orientation, balance, retrieving, sensing medical conditions, and much more.

On this episode of ADA Live! we take a closer look at how these important animals are trained. Stephen Kuusisto, Syracuse University Professor and Director of Interdisciplinary Programs and Outreach with the Burton Blatt Institute and author of the book Have Dog, Will Travel: A Poet’s Journey; Lori Breece, Program Manager, & Kristina Smith, Program Coordinator, with United Disabilities Services (UDS) Service Dog Training Program will discuss the important work of training service dogs. We will learn about the fascinating and extensive work that is needed to train a dog to be a service animal, the types of breeds typically used, how dogs and potential clients are matched, and much more.