#service rat

[keyofnope]

[hontohaunter]

Service animals

In 2009/2010 a law was passed that only dogs and mini horses can be service animals. Some areas and states chose to keep the old definitiom of an animal trained to aid their owners disability. The reasons quoted for this change in the law was "pocket animals are being put in vests and are passed off as service animals". They said this to the face of a disabled woman with rats that are trained to alert her to muscle spasms that she has often and cannot feel so she can take her medicine. The only benefit this law has is thag businesses are no longer complaining about the service animals allowed in their places of business. The downsides include forcing people to stay home as they cannot risk their life to even go to the grocery store; Many people with allergies or a fear of dogs do not have access to the help they need; people with limited funds that can only afford to care for a small animal no longer have access to the help they need; trained service animals that are in fact helping their humans are now simply pets and cannot do their job. This law is does not help anyone, but business owners.

[chooserecovery]

Hi Everyone! A Message From Our Local Liv

Hey hey guys!

As you can see, I've made a half-return to the blog!

I'd just like to have a quick word about something rad I have discovered recently - therapy animals!

I have a therapy rat. His name is Tiger, he's a gorgeous bew silk-coat rat with the best personality, and he is legally an assistance animal.

I live in Australia, and I was very concerned for quite a while that he wouldn't be able to be legally considered an assistance animal. However! I emailed the lovely people at mindDog about my situation, and they tracked down the correct legislation for me and explained that Australia has no limitations on what animals can be service or assistance animals. With a letter and a signature on an ID card from a medical professional, and an orange vest, and possibly a public transport card for them, you should be good to go. 

I've had a really rough few months, and Tiger has saved my life on a few occasions during those. When I get highly anxious, begin to panic or dissociate, Tiger has been trained to cuddle me and help me stay in reality until the episode passes. At train stations, even just his presence helps me not to do anything dumb. He depends on me, he's my furbaby, I can't just leave him to die!

I want to start a therapy animal program in Australia, something more than mindDog.  I want to work with headspace, my psychiatrist and my doctors office to develop a program that can aid people like me, who love animals and need something to keep them safe and grounded. 

But most of all, I want to endorse the fact that in Australia, any animal you want can be a assistance animal. I want to tell the world that therapy animals work wonders and save lives. 

And I'm starting with here. 

If you think you could benefit from a therapy animal, or specifically a therapy rat (they're intuitive, good natured and fast learners), I strongly suggest you look into it. 

I hope this post helps someone out!

Stay safe everyone, 

- Liv