A growing number of people are getting dogs for mental health needs, either functioning as emotional support animals or psychiatric service dogs. In the case of service dogs, they are trained specifically to help with mental impairment similar to the way the seeing eye dogs helps the blind. They are also entitled to the same benefits as seeing eye dogs, including accompaniment to all public locales, not just those that allow pets.
Several agencies were created to assist individuals with obtaining service animals. Project HEAL is an organization that trains and breeds assistance dogs and sets up veterans with PTSD with service dogs. For some veterans, where medication was insufficient in relief of anxiety, canines were prescribed.
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