The general public is well aware of the benefits of service dogs for individuals with physical disabilities, vision impairments and hearing impairments. Service dogs have also been trained for individuals with diabetes and epilepsy. Becoming more popular in the past 5-10 years are service dogs for individuals with Autism. The benefits of using a service dog for an individual with Autism are numerous including companionship, assisting with self-regulation, transitions and safety, improving self-esteem and increased awareness and acceptance of society of the individual with Autism. If you are considering obtaining a service dog, here are a list of organizations that train service dogs for individuals with Autism:
- Canadian Organizations
- US Organizations: