Are Shelter Dogs the Answer to PTSD? — Megan Sanders Agency

5 min readJul 17, 2020

A shelter dog stuck in a cage. He looks lonely and bored.

Alone, scared, trapped…waiting for freedom and love. Feeling that at any moment it could be their last.

Waiting to find someone to trust, but being afraid of betrayal.

Waiting for a person to come along with an answer to their agony.

I am describing the experience of a dog at a shelter waiting for a forever home. And it can really feel like forever.

But I could have easily been describing a person with PTSD. The emotions described only scratch the surface of what a person with PTSD may feel.

So the question is, with all of the research being done about dogs and their effects on anxiety, could a shelter dog provide the same help as a trained service dog or emotional support dog?

The answer is yes and no. Shelter dogs can certainly be trained to become service dogs. There are even some great shelters that have designed programs to identify and train potential service dogs. BUT there are major differences between service dogs, emotional support dogs, and dogs specifically trained to help someone with PTSD.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD) is caused by a traumatic event(s) in a person’s life that results in mental health distress. When the mental health distress, while demonstrating the symptoms, lasts for more than a few weeks, it is considered PTSD.

Listed as the most common types of trauma by the Mayo Clinic:

“

Combat exposure
Childhood physical abuse
Sexual violence
Physical assault
Being threatened with a weapon
An accident

”[1]

PTSD can be seen in people who go through physical or mental trauma and can be triggered when seeing or experiencing a horrifying event. That’s why many veterans come back from duty with PTSD. And without proper interventions, PTSD can be crippling to their mental health.

A man looking out of his window. Inside, he is surrounded by darkness while the outside world in bright.

PTSD Symptoms[1]

PTSD symptoms can appear between a month and years after the traumatic event.

Symptoms are broken down by four categories(intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions) with more specific indicators within each category.

Constant replaying of the memory of the traumatic event(s)
Flashbacks that feel like the traumatic event(s) is happening again
Nightmares about the event(s)
Extreme emotional or physical reaction when reminded of the event(s)
Avoiding thinking about the event(s)
Avoiding reminders about the event(s)
Negative thoughts about people or yourself
Feeling like the future is hopeless
Not remembering certain parts of the traumatic event(s)
Memory issues
Pulling away from friends and family
Trouble feel positive or even being numb to emotions
No longer being interested in things you once enjoyed
Hyper-alertness
Easily scared or frightened
Self destructive behaviors
Difficulty sleeping
Difficulty concentrating
Easily irritated, angered or aggressive
Feeling extreme guilt or shame

Symptoms can vary by person and many people experience PTSD for a period of time after a traumatic event. However, a person should seek further help if the symptoms are not dissipating. Long-term PTSD can lead to:

Service Dog vs Emotional Support Dog[2]

Studies are still being done on whether dogs can help cure PTSD. Even if a person gets a dog for PTSD, it is still recommended that science backed PTSD interventions be used.

It is important to note the differences between service dogs and emotional support dogs.

Service dogs are trained for particular tasks that they can help their owner with on a daily basis. This could mean, leading the blind or a person who has trouble getting around easily.

For this reason, service dogs need to go through training programs to legally be deemed a service dog.

This also allows for these dogs to enter places legally with their owners where dogs are not usually allowed.

Many times, these dogs start their training as puppies but there are shelter programs that have found success training older shelter dogs.

Emotional support dogs are for people with mental conditions. They help by simply being there.

They provide comfort, companionship, and friendship. Unlike service dogs, emotional support dogs do not always need training; they can be any dog that provides comfort to its owner.

However, in order to be given special privileges in public areas that do not allow dogs, the owner must get a recommendation from their doctor in writing.

It should be mentioned that although recommended by some doctors to help ease PTSD symptoms, neither of these dogs may be the ideal for veterans that suffer from PTSD.

PTSD Service Dogs for Veterans[3]

A wall of military dog tags that soldiers where for identification.

PTSD in relation to veterans presents another animal related opportunity. Although emotional support animals can help with some symptoms of PTSD, the specific symptoms that veterans experience require trained dogs.

In a recent study by Perdue University, researchers tracked the emotional states of veterans with and without PTSD Service Dogs. The study found that, “Vets with service dogs reported a 22 percent higher rate of life satisfaction, as well as similarly increased rates of mental health, resilience and ability to participate in social activities (Gross).”

PTSD Service Dogs are trained specifically to help with PTSD symptoms. They are trained to help with hypervigilance and anxiety.

They can avoid their owners being startled by someone walking up behind them and even help with a veteran’s need to scan a room for threats.

They can sense when their owners are anxious and help them keep calm.

This makes them much more useful to those suffering from PTSD symptoms.

Do I Just Get Any Dog for PTSD if I’m Not a Verteran?

In short, no.

First, it is recommended to discuss with a doctor the pros and cons of getting a dog for emotional support.

It should be noted that until the scientific studies come to a definitive answer, an emotional support animal should not replace science based PTSD relief programs.

That being said, a dog that serves to support a person in emotional distress can be found at a shelter. In fact, it is highly recommended. Shelter dogs can be emotionally distressed themselves, being stuck in cages, cut off from the world.

Rescuing yourself and a shelter animal is a win-win!

Can Other Animals be Service Animals?

Can cats help with PTSD? How about a hamster? A turtle?

According to the American Disabilities Act(ADA), a service animal is specified as a dog that has been trained to provide a particular service for its owner.

No other animal, regardless of whether it has been trained to perform a service, can obtain legal recognition as a service animal according to the Department of Justice .

However, that does not mean that animals can not be used for emotional support. Any animal that provides emotional comfort to you can be your emotional support animal. But, it will not be recognized legally in public situations without a doctor’s certification.

Originally published at https://www.megansandersagency.com on July 17, 2020.