Ethical Issues with Service Animals

Abstract

The beneficial aspects of canines who provide services to people with disabilities have resulted in an explosion of a category of dogs that are bred and/or trained just for service purposes. Over the past 30 years, the role of most service dogs has become more prominent and more demanding. There are also concerns as to the well-being of these animals and questions regarding realistic expectations of them. The purpose of this article is to explore the utilization of service dogs in a rehabilitation health care setting. More specifically, ethical issues that are pertinent to the service dog’s role will be identified and resolutions recommended.

Keywords:

• ethics
• service animals
• service dogs