09 Aug Second Chance: Heroic Canines, Service Dogs of All Kinds!
Second Chance Humane Society’s Animal Resource Center (SCHS) and Thrift Shops have been serving San Miguel, Ouray and Montrose Counties since 1994. The shelter is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday 11am – 5:30pm. Community veterinary services are available by appointment.
View shelter pets and services online: www.adoptmountainpets.org.
Go here for more options from Second Chance.
When you think of a service dog, you might picture a loyal German Shepherd or Lab helping a visually impaired or blind person. Guide dogs have been helping people for centuries, and their use may date back to Roman times. These days, however, there are several other types of service dogs.
Hearing dogs help those who cannot hear by alerting them to noises such as alarms, doorbells, or crying babies. When the dog hears the sound, they’ll touch their human and lead toward the noise.
Mobility assistance dogs perform a wide range of tasks for people with mobility issues. They can bring objects to their person, press buttons, serve as a brace for those who are ambulatory, or even help pull a wheelchair up a ramp.
Diabetic service dogs alert their person to chemical changes in blood sugar. These dogs use scent to detect blood sugar highs and lows before the levels become dangerous. Many of these dogs are trained to alert others in the household or set off an alarm if their human needs medical help.
Seizure response dogs bark for help or to press an alarm during their person’s seizure. There are some who believe dogs can be trained to react with a specific type of behavior right before their human has an event. The ability to alert to seizures seems to be a natural ability for a small number of dogs, although some neurology experts say there is no reliable evidence to suggest that dogs can predict those outcomes.
Psychiatric service dogs assist people who are suffering from issues like depression, anxiety, and PTSD. These dogs perform a wide range of duties, including creating a physical barrier between the handler and others to give the handler more personal space in public places, sensing anxiety, and providing a notion of safety. Psychiatric service dogs may also help by getting their person out into the world.
For kids on the autism spectrum, service dogs provide a sense of predictability as the children navigate social settings. They reduce isolation and comfort the child in stressful times. These dogs are trained to keep children from running away and can track them if they do run off.
Other kinds of working dogs, such as therapy dogs and emotional support dogs, are not classified as service dogs as they’re not trained to perform a specific task to help their handlers. These kinds of dogs are not afforded the same privileges as service dogs.
Although you likely picture a loyal retriever or intelligent shepherd, any dog (including rescues and mixed breeds) can become a service dog if they have the temperament and intelligence needed.
Dyzel
AND… To continue the Second Chance Highlights section, we want to share the following:
We LOVE Alpine Bank
Consistent, Generous Supporters of Nonprofits
We are grateful to have Alpine Bank as a partner in the community. Their generosity to Second Chance over the years has been consistent, impactful, and so appreciated.
Alpine Bank hit the 50-year mark in 2023. They’re celebrating by awarding 355 Colorado nonprofits and community organizations a gift of $500 or more. Each of Alpine Bank’s 853 employees directed a one-time charitable gift to support a Colorado nonprofit of their choice. They call the initiative “50 Years of Philanthropy.” (What a great way to celebrate!) In total, $426,500 in donations is going to selected organizations.
Some organizations (like Second Chance) received gifts larger than $500 after being selected by more than one employee.
We are honored to be included. Alpine Bank representatives visited the shelter and delivered $2000 to our very grateful staff. Special thanks to the Alpine employees who chose us!
Van Needed
We put a LOT of miles on vehicles. From picking up donations for our shops to driving to adoption events to fetching pets from other rescues- we’re on the road a lot. If you, or someone you know, has a van that you would consider donating, please reach out to Nick at exec@secondchancehumane.org
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