How to get a free service dog for epilepsy

Índice Show

What Is the Price?
What Are These Animals Trained to Do?
Where Can I Get a Seizure Alert Dog?
The Bottom Line
Who uses assistance dogs?
Types of assistance dogs
How much training do assistance or service dogs get?
What jobs can assistance dogs do?
Can owners take their assistance dogs into all public places?
How to behave if you encounter an assistance dog
How to get an assistance dog
More information on assistance dogs
What is an epilepsy service dog?
How do service dogs alert seizures?
How to get a service dog for seizures
How much does a service dog for seizures cost?
A faithful friend

Certain medical issues can inhibit a person’s life and make it difficult to live a normal lifestyle. Service animals can be a great asset to these individuals because they can intervene and create a support/health system for their owner. Individuals who suffer from seizures can feel at ease with a service animal because they have a second line of defense that has their best interest in mind.

What Is the Price?

The price for a seizure support dog can range from $15,000 – $30,000. Sometimes this price can even get as high as $50,000. The price greatly depends on what breed of dog is being used and how extensive the training it will receive will be. The main problem with obtaining one of these dogs is that health insurance companies will not cover the cost. There are some service dog training facilities that will offer the animal for no cost, but the wait list for this is very long.

What Are These Animals Trained to Do?

Seizure alert dogs can be life-saving animals because they help their owner detect when a seizure is going to occur. There is nothing worse than living with epilepsy and never knowing when your disaster might strike. What is really cool about these animals is that they are able to detect the onset of seizure sometimes even hours before it is going to occur. The way they do this is by noticing a change in the owner’s behavior or scent. It is amazing that an animal is able to detect something that even humans aren’t able to quite identify.

You can consider a service dog as a type of life-alert. They may not always be able to detect the onset of a seizure, but they can always be there to immediately respond when one does occur. The seizure alert dog can help retrieve a phone or stimulate the individual when having a seizure, or even go get someone for help. As the person is recovering from their seizure the animal can help retrieve medication or food, offer comfort, or be used as assistance to help the individual get back up.

Where Can I Get a Seizure Alert Dog?

Of all the service dog companies in the United States only about 20 offer seizure alert dogs. It can be a tricky process to obtain one, but once you have one you will regain some of your freedom. Imagine not having to be afraid of leaving the house anymore because you aren’t sure if you might have an episode.

The Bottom Line

It is possible to obtain a service dog to help you manage your seizures. Although the price may hinder you from jumping on this opportunity there is the chance that you could get a dog for little to no cost by joining an agency wait list. The support and companionship of having one of these animals is second to none. Experiencing a seizure is a scary thing all on its own, but not knowing if you are going to have someone around to help you is even scarier. These animals can give you the peace of mind in knowing that even if you experience an episode, you won’t be alone. There will be someone with you always waiting to jump in and help.

Assistance dogs are working animals that are specially trained to help people who are living with physical disabilities to move around, do everyday activities and tasks, and be more independent. They are also called service dogs.

Who uses assistance dogs?

Assistance or service dogs can help individuals who have:

Types of assistance dogs

There are 3 main types of assistance dogs.

Service dogs are trained to assist people who have various disabilities to manage personal and other tasks. The popular term for these dogs in Australia is assistance dogs.
Guide dogs or seeing eye dogs are trained to help blind or visually impaired people get around safely and independently.
Hearing dogs are trained to assist people who are deaf or have hearing problems by alerting them to sounds.

Labradors and golden retrievers are the main breeds used as assistance dogs.

How much training do assistance or service dogs get?

Selected puppies are trained for around 2 years to become assistance dogs. Puppies are chosen for having a good temperament.

They spend their first year to 18 months living with a volunteer puppy educator before undergoing around 6 months of advanced training with an organisation such as Assistance Dogs Australia or with a certified trainer.

What jobs can assistance dogs do?

Some assistance dogs are taught more than 50 tasks. The training for each dog is unique, and depends on the personality of the dog and the type of tasks that will suit the needs of their future owner, who is known as their handler.

The tasks that assistance dogs can be taught include:

pulling a wheelchair
helping people to balance if they have walking difficulties
turning on light switches
moving the arms or legs of people who are paralysed
opening and closing doors, drawers and fridges
assisting with making beds
retrieving or picking up items like mobile phones or keys
pushing pedestrian crossing buttons
picking up clothing and helping take washing from a machine
paying cashiers
barking to alert their owners to danger
alerting people to seizures (sometimes before they occur) or other medical issues, such as low blood sugar in a diabetic child
finding and leading another person to the owner or affected child

The benefits for owners include a reduced need for carers, greater freedom and self-confidence. They also enjoy the constant emotional support, companionship and love of the animal.

Can owners take their assistance dogs into all public places?

Yes. Owners of assistance dogs have the right to take their animals into all public places and onto public transport, including buses and trains. The Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person with a disability who is using an assistance dog.

Different states and territories have their own legislation relating to assistance dogs and may require the owner or handler to get certification. Find out more about the legal understanding of assistance animals.

How to behave if you encounter an assistance dog

Don't pat or call an assistance dog without permission from the owner. It may distract the animal from tasks it has been given.

How to get an assistance dog

Training assistance dogs is complicated and costly, so only people with certain disabilities qualify to get one. If you think an assistance dog might help you or your child cope better with a disability or a mental health condition, apply for an assistance dog via an organisation such as Assistance Dogs Australia. The animals are given free of charge to people who qualify.

More information on assistance dogs

February 3, 2022

An epilepsy service dog can be trained to perform certain tasks if you have a seizure. Learn what they can do, how to get one and what it will cost.

Dogs are often called man's best friend - and if you have epilepsy they can be even more helpful!

Epilepsy service dogs are specially trained canines that respond in certain ways when you have a seizure. They can be taught to do things which will keep you safe or alert people around you.

Here is everything you need to know about epilepsy service dogs.

What is an epilepsy service dog?

An epilepsy service dog is an animal which is trained for around two years to respond when its owner has a seizure. After two years of training it will then do a few more weeks of instruction with you so it can learn to recognize the kinds of seizures you have.

How do service dogs alert seizures?

These support dogs can be trained to perform many different tasks including:

Barking and alerting other people that you are having a seizure
Pressing alert buttons or pedals
Lying or sitting near you in a way that might prevent you from injuring yourself

Many people with epilepsy have reported that their dogs seem to know in advance that they’re going to have a seizure. A recent study of epilepsy service dogs suggests that the animals can detect a specific smell that is given off when their owners are having a seizure. More research is needed, but this might mean that dogs can be trained to give advance warning and mean you can get to a safe place.

If you have epilepsy, you might be able to get a service dog. If you are interested, the first thing to do is to speak to your treatment team to find out if they think it would be suitable for you. They will then be able to introduce you to service dog training centers near where you live.

How to get a service dog for seizures

Not everybody is able to get a service dog for epilepsy. There are often long waiting lists to get these kinds of canines, and each animal costs several thousand dollars to train. There are other requirements too:

You will need to have frequent seizures (usually at least once a month)
They are mainly for people with seizures that cannot be treated with medication
Your seizures need to be ‘visible’ to the dog (such as tonic clonic seizures)
You have to be above a certain age (usually at least 12 years old)
You need to be able to look after the dog, such as feeding it and taking it for walks
You are not normally allowed another dog in the home

How much does a service dog for seizures cost?

If you wish to directly purchase an epilepsy service dog, you can expect to pay between $15,000 and $30,000 because of how much time it takes to train the animals. Sometimes people choose to set up a fundraising drive to help cover the cost of buying a service dog - you may be able to get support from your local community or philanthropists to pay for the animal.

If you are not in a position to spend that much money on a service dog, the good news is that there are several non-profits which provide the animals for free (or a small fee). There will usually be waiting lists for these animals. Good places to start your search include:

Like any kind of dog there are many costs involved in looking after the animal including vet bills, insurance, food, injections, toys and so on. These costs can add up to several thousand dollars per year.

A faithful friend

For certain people, an epilepsy service dog can be hugely beneficial. Not only do they help you when you are having seizures, but they can be a big emotional support too. If you’d like to learn more about your options, try talking to your doctor about getting an animal at your next appointment.