There are different services that can help people living with a mental health challenges: doctors, community organizations, various resources, and support groups to name a few. However, there is one service you might not have thought about until now: psychiatric service dogs.

How can psychiatric service dogs help?

Psychiatric service dogs can help with various mental health conditions such as PTSD, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. For example, in a USA Today article, a man explained that his psychiatric service dog helps him recognize if there is something or someone there when he is experiencing a visual hallucination. If the man tells his dog to ‘greet’ the vision he sees and the dog doesn’t react, it means that what the man sees is a hallucination. Another example comes from Psychology Today, where a woman has a psychiatric service dog to help her get out of the house because she lives with agoraphobia. With the dog, she is able to leave her home and complete daily tasks that she otherwise might not have been able to do.

An Australian study looking at the benefits of psychiatric service dogs (which they called psychiatric assistance dogs) showed that 46% of their study population used less psychiatric and health care services when they had the assistance of the dog. 30% of the population increased their use of services because they were able to go to their appointments with the help of their psychiatric service dog; they felt more comfortable and confident getting out of the house and going to see their health care provider. In this particular study, the participants were dealing with a range of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety (social and generalized), PTSD, and panic attacks.

What is the difference between a psychiatric service dog and an emotional support animal?

Psychiatric service dogs are trained to help their humans with specific symptoms of a mental health challenge that debilitate their life. The dogs need specific training to help with various situations and facilitate tasks for their owner.

On the other hand, an emotional support animal does not go through the same rigorous training as a psychiatric service dog. They are able to provide emotional support and companionship to their humans, but do not receive specific training for particular tasks. Additionally, unlike psychiatric service dogs, an emotional support animal does not have to be a dog.

A psychiatric service dog must wear a visual marker that they are a service dog, and you may have to present proof of their training. You do not have to provide any documentation about your disability, medial need, or health condition. If you have an emotional support animal, however, you may need to explain whyyou need your emotional support animal and explain how they help you.

A business cannot discriminate against a person because of their disability or how they choose to treat it. That said, if the accommodation causes “undue hardship” for the business (would be very expensive for the business, would affect other people’s rights or safety, or would impact the business’s ability to operate, for example), they have the right to refuse to accommodate a service dog or emotional support animal.

Obtaining a psychiatric service dog in Canada

There are both private and non-profit organizations that train and work with psychiatric service dogs in Canada. They tend to have long waiting lists. Organizations can only train a limited number of service dogs. It takes several months and costs a minimum of $20,000 to train a dog. There is no national standard or official certification issued by a Canadian government agency attesting to the training of service or guide dogs or any other animal used to assist with a disability. The law is not always clear when it comes to service animals for psychiatric needs, so you need to proceed cautiously.

Here are some Quebec organizations that work with psychiatric service dogs:

Asista Foundation: This organization was founded in 2011 with the goal of saving shelter dogs and training them to become service dogs for those with specific mental health needs. Their headquarters are in Laval, QC. Applications are currently closed for an indeterminate amount of time. To learn more about Asista, please visit asista.ca.

TOGO Dogs: This organization trains service dogs for individuals and also for first-line workers. They are the exclusive supplier of dogs in Quebec for Wounded Warriors (military, veterans, and first responders). Visit leschienstogo.com to learn more.

Médi-Chiens: Located in Quebec City, this organization helps train dogs and certify them to become assistance dogs for those with PTSD, anxiety disorders, or mood disorders. The time to train a dog can range from 6 months to 2 years. They have been active since 2021. To learn more about Médi-Chiens, please visit medi-chiens.org.

Psy’Chien: This organization started in France in 2016, but opened a Quebec chapter in 2019. They have evaluators situated in the regions of Montreal, Sherbrooke, and Gatineau. Their goal is to educate and train dogs to become psychiatric assistance dogs for those affected by a mental illness who would benefit from an assistance dog. It is a program for those who are at least 18 years old. To learn more about Psy’Chien, please visit psychien.org.

–Gabrielle Lesage
From Share & Care Fall 2024

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