Edition 26 July 2016 Annual Picnic July 23, 2016 July s meeting will be our annual picnic which be held at Spanaway Park. It will be 11:00-2:30. We re looking forward to good food and games for the dogs. We hope you can join us for this fun event! The Assistance Dog Club of Puget Sound is a 501 (c) (3) organization. Our tax ID# is 91-2080563. WA Secretary of State Charities Program Registration Number is 24995 Website http://www.assistancedogclub.org E-Mail Address assist_dog_club@hotmail.com Mailing Address Assistance Dog Club of Puget Sound 2522 N. Proctor Street, Box #459 Tacoma, WA 98406 Assistance Dog Club of Puget Sound Board of Directors President Pat Kessler Vice President/Treasurer Wayne Terry Secretary Diane Funai Assistant Secretary Sally Montejano Social Coordinator Fred Fuller Editor s Notes by Jack Pearce-Droge The CGC testing went very well with all three participants passing! The dogs were all so well behaved and we could tell that their partners have been working hard to achieve so much. Participating members were Susy Davis and her SD, Kira. Reggie, a dog being trained for service dog work by Sarah Keck and Janelle Ellen s service dog, Sunny also passed. You ll see them on page 7. Congratulations to all of you! On July 9th, Jeanne will be at the Tacoma Mall giving the Public Access test. See Page 6 for specific information. You must contact Jeanne to sign up for the test. On July 23, we ll find ourselves once again at Spanaway Park enjoying our annual picnic. For those of you who are new to ADC it s a time for both members and service dogs to relax and have some fun. We ll be playing games that will also help the dogs perfect listening to instruction and refine a task in an unusual setting. It s a pot luck party so we ll be asking for members to bring some food to share. You ll find a map and information on Page 8. We are also inviting our friends who live in the area to join us. We d love to see you again! Finally, there is no scheduled meeting in August but we have been invited to participate in Kersey Mobility s 12th Annual Northwest Ability Expo and 12th Annual adaptive equipment sale on Saturday, August 13. I encourage you to visit Kersey s website to see for yourselves the high level of advocacy that they provide to people with disabilities. Many businesses representing a wide variety of resources will be there and we will need members to join us and answer questions from the public and other representatives about service dogs. This is a great opportunity to share the differences between actual assistance dogs and those that are not. Kersey Mobility also provides a free lunch, snacks and drinks for participants! So sign up and come on out. We ll have sign-up sheets available at the July picnic. More information can be found on Page 12. I encourage you to look at the blog on their website. Activities and meetings will be held at TACID unless otherwise noted. TACID s address is: 6315 S 19th St, Tacoma, Washington 98466 Mission Statement The mission of the Assistance Dog Club of Puget Sound is to provide a safe, supportive, and educational environment that will enhance the partnership of persons with disabilities and their assistance dogs. Published through the generous support of the Dimmer Family Foundation 1.
President s Corner by Pat Kessler, President Well hello everyone! Summer has finally arrived and with that, hot weather. We all need to insure that our dogs get plenty of water, shade and have their feet protected from hot pavement. Remember to check the temperature of the pavement before taking your dog for a walk on it. If it is too hot for you to keep your hand on it you must put protection on your dogs feet or they will burn. This is a serious matter and should not be taken lightly. Above all, do not leave dogs in cars even for a short time in hot weather as the temperature can rise quickly. Cool mats made for dogs are terrific and really help your dog beat the heat and the new ones do not require water or anything else to be added to them. July is our annual Picnic and we hope to see everyone there. We hope to visit with not only our members, but those who sponsor us, those who help educate us as well as our former members. So let s get together this year, say hello to each other, eat some great food and make or renew friendships. For those that haven t get signed up for the Kersey Expo in Aug, we hope you do so. This is our chance to tell about our club and to meet other disabled people and make contacts with other disability programs. I hope to see you all there. Please have a safe summer! June Meeting June 25, 2016 Our June meeting focused on activities that are occurring in the near future such as the Public Access Test at the Tacoma Mall on July 9th, the annual picnic held at Spanaway Park on July 23rd and the 12th Annual Northwest Ability Expo sponsored by Kersey Mobility in Sumner. The Expo will be held on Saturday, August 13th, 2016. This event will be different than most of our activities and we are really looking forward to it. We hope our members join us to help answer questions about service dogs as well as becoming familiar with the many resources offered by organizations in the state of Washington for people with disabilities. We talked about ways that we could expand our membership through mailings, activities, organizing some different events and activities and looking into expanding the various groups that we could work with, particularly local organizations and children s groups. It was a very productive meeting and members offered some excellent and creative ideas for the future. You ll find more specific information throughout the newsletter, especially Page 7 where you see the results of the Canine Good Citizen testing. Published through the generous support of the Dimmer Family Foundation 2.
Training Tips Summer, Sunburn, Sunscreen & Heat Stroke By Jeanne Hampl While we all long for the sunshine and the warmth of summer it is important to remember that both can have an adverse effect on an assistance dog. During hot weather exercise your dog in the morning or at dusk to avoid heat and humidity. Check the temperature of the pavement by placing your hand on it for a few seconds. If it is still hot from the sun, it will burn your dog s pads. There are different types of booties available to protect your dog s pads from the hot pavement. Also be sure to your dog has water available to keep hydrated. Dogs do not perspire the way humans do; in fact, the only sweat glands that they have are on the pads of their feet. Dogs pant to cool themselves and also use a temperature exchange called convection to cool their skin. Both panting and convection cool the body by exchanging the warm body temperatures for the cooler air outside. If the surrounding air is not considerably cooler than the animals body temperature - as in the case of a hot, stuffy automobile - the cooling system will not work and heatstroke can occur. Signs of heatstroke include: Increased heart rate Excessive panting Increased salivation Bright red tongue Red or pale gums Thick, sticky saliva Depression Weakness Dizziness Vomiting (sometimes with blood) Diarrhea If you think your dog (or any dog) is suffering from heatstroke, you need to take immediate action: Move him immediately to a cool area either into the shade or preferably into air conditioning. Assess his condition is he able to stand? Is he conscious and panting? If so, offer him small amounts of water to drink and take his temperature if possible. If he s at 104ºF or lower, remain with him in a cool environment, watch him carefully and keep offering small drinks of water. A large volume of water all at once might cause him to vomit, which will add to the risk of dehydration. When he seems more comfortable, call your veterinarian for next steps. The doctor may want to evaluate your dog even if he seems fully recovered. If your pet is unable to stand on her own, is unresponsive to your voice, does not recognize you, is having seizures, check for breathing and a heartbeat. At the same time, have someone contact a veterinary hospital (or make the call yourself if you re alone with your pet) to let them know you ll be bringing her in right away. It s important to alert the clinic you re on the way so they can prepare for your arrival. Summer, Sunburn, Sunscreen...(Continued on Page 4) Published through the generous support of the Dimmer Family Foundation 3.
Summer, Sunburn, Sunscreen...(Continued from Page 3) Begin cooling procedures by soaking her body with cool water cool, but not cold. Use a hose, wet towels or any other source of cool water that is handy. Take her temperature if possible. Concentrate the cooling water on her head, neck and in the areas underneath her front and back legs. Carefully cool her tongue if possible, but don t let water run into her throat as it could get into her lungs. Never put water in a dog s mouth that can t swallow on its own. Put a fan on her if possible it will speed up the cooling process. After a few minutes, re-check her temperature. If her temp is at or below 104 degrees, stop the cooling process. Further cooling could lead to blood clotting or a too-low body temperature. Get her to a veterinary clinic right away, even if she seems to be recovering. http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/08/10/dead-in-minutes-dogs-andheatstroke.aspx Dogs don t sunburn as easily as humans due to insulating fur that protects them from too much ultraviolet light. But areas not as well protected are the nose, tips of ears (especially if prick or upright ears) and belly areas. Dogs with short hair and fair skin may need extra sun protection. Consider applying sunscreen, one with at least a SPF of 15 (the higher the SPF, the more protection) and that won t wear off in water. A variety of pet sunscreens are available. Human products will also work, but because dogs and cats will eventually lick off the lotion, avoid those containing PABA or zinc oxide, which can be dangerous if swallowed. Most likely, your dog will try to lick off a good portion of the sunscreen. The best trick here is to make your pet forget that he/she has it on. The best way to do this is to put the sunscreen on right before the dog is given food, a treat, or goes out for exercise. If the dog is distracted immediately after the sunscreen is put on, there is a chance they will forget about it. There are also caps that dogs can wear to keep the areas that are prone to burn shielded from direct sunlight. The caps should shade the ears and the tender bridge of the nose. For thin-coated pets without a lot of natural protection, it is a good idea is to cover them up. Putting them in a T-shirt or a longer vest when they re outside will protect their skin. The danger of sunburn can be more than just temporary. Repeated exposure to the sun can also result in skin cancers. One of the best times to check your dog for skin lesions is during grooming. If you don t do your own bathing and grooming, talk to your groomer about doing regular skin checks. One of the easiest ways to get to your dog s skin is separating the hair with a blow dryer. The groomer does this whenever they give a bath. You are looking for mole like discolorations, ulcerations and raised lumps. If a dog is checked and the findings are charted then you can observe your dog s skin for changes. You can also point out your findings to your veterinarian and he or she can decide what action to take. With some precautions, both dogs and humans can enjoy the lazy, hazy, days of summer. 2016 Published through the generous support of the Dimmer Family Foundation 4.
IAADP International Association of Assistance Dog Partners IAADP Membership Benefits Veterinary Care Partnership (VCP) Program IAADP has established an emergency veterinary care fund to help IAADP Partner Members in the USA when their partnership is threatened by the need for high cost veterinary intervention beyond their ability to pay. Five caring companies in the animal health care community have responded to the need for this supportive fund with an annual contribution. Bayer Animal Health, Hill s Pet Nutrition, Inc., Nestle Purina, Nutramax Laboratories and Procter & Gamble. (Click Here to for Links to Sponsors.) IAADP is thrilled to have them participate in this humanitarian effort to assist disabled members on a low income. In the past we heard of case after case where the disabled person was faced with the heartbreak of returning their assistance dog to the provider or turning their dog over to a rescue so the assistance dog could receive the care deemed critical by the veterinarian. This VCP Fund initiative is intended for those cases when an assistance dog develops a sudden illness or injury that it treatable but the high cost of veterinary intervention to maintain a working partnership is unaffordable. As per the guidelines to follow, in such cases a veterinarian may apply to our VCP fund for financial aid on behalf the IAADP Partner Member s assistance dog. The goal is to Save a Partnership. Please realize our funds are very limited. IAADP asks Assistance Dog Partner members to only apply for funding when conditions of severe financial hardship exist. This is a grant, not an insurance or entitlement program. ONLY the Veterinarian can initiate the request for a grant to Nutramax Laboratories, administrator of the program. Members contacting Nutramax Laboratories directly will VOID their eligibility for a grant. The following guidelines have been developed and adopted by the IAADP Board of Directors to clarify the conditions under which grants will be made: (These updated changes will go into effect Jan. 1, 2013 ) 1. You must be a United States IAADP Partner Member in good standing, currently partnered w i t h an adult hearing, guide or service dog. Dogs under 18 months and retired dogs are not eligible. 2. To be considered an IAADP Partner Member in good standing, eligible to apply for a VCP Grant, a New or Lapsed Renewal Member must be enrolled a minimum of 45 days prior to the veterinarian s application to VCP. The 45 days will be determined according to the records in IAADP s database showing the enrollment date, the precise date when the Membership ID card was first issued by the Database Manager. 3. Grants will only be considered if the assistance dog s health problem seriously interferes with the ability to work or has the potential of shortening the dog s working life if left untreated. In either case, the proposed treatment should have a high probability of extending that dog s working life by a year or more to be eligible for a grant. IAADP VCP...(Continued on Page 6.) Published through the generous support of the Dimmer Family Foundation 5.
IAADP VCP...(Continued from Page 5.) 4. VCP funds will be a capped amount available to members on a calendar year basis from January 1 to December 31; however, regardless of year, grants for a single diagnosis and/or illness shall not exceed the capped amount. 5. Pre-existing conditions are not covered. 6. Routine expenses such as annual exams, vaccinations, flea prevention, heartworm products or routine tests or elective procedures like teeth cleaning, the removal of fatty tumors, a wellness panel of blood tests or minor problems like an ear infection, impacted anal sacks etcetera WILL NOT be considered for a grant. (Note: Some of these items are included as general member benefits and have separate application procedures). 7. Member must be experiencing a severe financial hardship at the time of the grant request. Remember that the intent is to maintain a partnership threatened by high cost veterinary intervention. 8. Evidence of routine veterinary care during the previous twelve months may be requested to be eligible for grant consideration. 9. ONLY the Veterinarian can initiate the request for a grant. Members contacting Nutramax Laboratories directly will VOID their eligibility for a grant. 10. Written Pre-Authorization is required. Exceptions will be evaluated for documented after hour s emergency cases or a documented dire emergency during office hours [like a dog being hit by a car or life threatening case of bloat] when the case is submitted to Nutramax Laboratories on the next business day following such emergency treatment. 11. A minimum of $200 per grant request, covering no more than one office visit, is required for a grant to be considered. The IAADP Partner Member is responsible for the first $100 of expenses, thus the amount of $100 will be deducted from any grant request, and i.e. for a $500 grant request a check for $400 will be issued. 12. If, as part of a diagnosis and treatment plan for the serious health condition affecting the dog s working ability, on-going medications are required, grant requests for the medications will be considered subject to these rules: a. No more than one request per quarter b. Each request must meet the minimum of $200 per grant request covering no more than one office visit and subject to the $100 deductible. c. No more than a three month supply per medication can be included in the grant request. IAADP VCP...(Continued on Page 7.) Published through the generous support of the Dimmer Family Foundation 6.
IAADP VCP...(Continued from Page 6.) 13. As the Administrator of the VCP Program, Nutramax Laboratories has full discretion to approve or decline grants. 14. If any member is found to be abusing the VCP Program, he/she will be barred from any participation in the VCP Program and this abuse will affect membership status in IAADP. This document dated January 1, 2013 and supersedes all previously published guidelines. This article has been published with permission directly from the IAADP website. The IAADP website can be found at http://www.iaadp.org/ The Public Access Test July 9th, 2016 Tacoma Mall By Jeanne Hampl The Assistance Dog Club is sponsoring the Public Access Test (PAT) on Saturday July 9th at the Tacoma Mall from 11AM to 12:30PM at TACID. If you are interested in taking this test please sign up for a specific time by contacting Jeanne Hampl @ 253-853-1984 or praise_luke@hotmail.com. Once you have signed up, Jeanne will provide you with everything that you need to proceed. She will send you a map of the Tacoma Mall and where you should enter the mall and meet with other members preparing to be tested. Information on the Public Access Test can be found at [http://www.assistancedogsinternational.org/ standards/public-access-test/]. Published through the generous support of the Dimmer Family Foundation 7.
The Canine Good Citizen Test June 25th, 2016 TACID Many Thanks to Jeanne Hampl The Canine Good Citizen Test was given by Jeanne Hampl on June 25 at TACID. The service dogs partnered with three members passed. We congratulate Susy Davis and Kira, Janelle and her service dog Sunny and trainer Sarah Keck and her SDIT Reggie. Everyone did so well! Susy Davis and Kira Janelle Ellen and Sunny Sarah Keck and Reggie Published through the generous support of the Dimmer Family Foundation 8.
Annual Summer ADC Picnic Come on out...members, Former Members, Family, Friends We re looking forward to meeting with our members, friends, former members and supporters at our annual ADC picnic. Spanaway Park is a beautiful park and our shelter is large and welcoming. This event is a potluck lunch and games for the dogs. Please email assist_dog_club@hotmail.com to let us know how many there will be in your party and what you will be bringing in terms of food. Published through the generous support of the Dimmer Family Foundation 9.
Informational Websites About Service Dogs Given that the partnership of a person with a disability with an assistance dog is governed by legal requirements it is beneficial that each of us have access to as much material as possible. The discussions at the January meeting included suggestions that can be misleading, inaccurate or legally correct and helpful. It is critically important that each of us become our own best advocate. Here are some websites that are accessible to you that will provide you with valuable information. Many of these websites are also available on ADC s website on the Favorite links page. The link for our website is: http://www.assistancedogclub.org/home Legal Description of Service Dogs: http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm Legal Clarification on Rules for Assistance Dogs: http://www.workinglikedogs.com/2011/03/u-sdepartment-of-justice-rules-on-assistance-dogs-to-become-stricter-march-15-2011/ Medical information: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions Veterinary questions: http://www.merckvetmanual.com/pethealth/index.html http:// http://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/ (credit card for veterinary care, people have 1 year to pay, use it if you have no other credit card for emergency surgery.) Service Dog Information: http://www.iaadp.org http://www.assistancedogsinternational.org http://www.servicedogcentral.org/content/ http://www.assistancedogclub.org/ Service Dog Gear: Service Dog Training: https://www.bridgeportequipment.com https://www.sitstay.com/ http://www.boldleaddesigns.com http://www.kurgo.com/ http://www.lakeerieassistancedogs.org/ Also remember that the Assistance Dog Club has a facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/assistance-dog-club-of-puget-sound-155317554486927/ Be sure to friend us for the latest information about all things service dog. Additional Information: http://www.anythingpawsable.com/ http://www.allthingspawssible.com/ Note to Members and Friends If you are familiar with any internet links to service dog resources, please email them to assist_dog_ club@hotmail.com and make a note in the subject line that you have sent a link for an educational resource. Thanks! Published through the generous support of the Dimmer Family Foundation 10.
Future Meetings and Events Mark Your Calendar The Assistance Dog Club of Puget Sound organizes meetings and events that will serve to strengthen the relationship between the service dog and their human partner. If you are interested in joining us at a meeting or event, please email us at assist_dog_club@hotmail.com. July 9 - Public Access Test - Jeanne Hampl - Tacoma Mall - 11:00 P.M. July 23 - Picnic - Spanaway Park, 11:00-3:00 August 13 - Kersey Mobility Ability Expo, Sumner, WA August 27 - No Meeting September 24 - TBA October 22 - Annual Meeting and Potluck - TACID November - Meeting cancelled - Happy Thanksgiving December 10 - Annual Holiday Celebration, The INN at Gig Harbor Support ADC While You Shop If you are interested in supporting the Assistance Dog Club of Puget Sound there are a few options that are available to you! ADCPS has entered into a partnership with both Amazon.com and Fred Meyer. If you would like more information about both options offered by these two corporation you will find it on ADC s website, [http://www.assistancedogclub.org/home/support] complete with links that will guide you through the process. Published through the generous support of the Dimmer Family Foundation 11.
12th Annual Northwest Ability Expo on Saturday August 13th! 10:30-3:00 Kersey Mobility will be holding its 12th Annual Northwest Ability Expo and 12th Annual adaptive equipment sale on August 13 and the Assistance Dog Club of Puget Sound will be participating with many other organizations offering supplies and equipment to help provide people with disabilities more independence in their lives. This event will be held on Saturday, August 13th this year from 10:30 until 3:00 and Kersey has invited ADC to be a vendor and share information about the way in which assistance dogs better strengthen our lives, the legal aspects pertaining to assistance dogs and the tasks that our dogs can be trained that will assist you. This event is free to everyone presenting information and to Kersey customers and we would love to have our members and friends to be there this year! Kersey offers a FREE BBQ lunch and valet parking is provided. Follow this link for information about last year s Expo http://blog.kerseymobility.com/ Published through the generous support of the Dimmer Family Foundation 12.