September is National Guide Dog Month, a period of time where guide dogs are celebrated through their hard work for individuals who are visually impaired. 

Although National Guide Dog Month started in 2009, it was moved to 2010.

 According to Vision Resource Center of Berks County, “In 2009, National Guide Dog Month was established for the month of May, however in 2010, it was moved to September due to conflicts with other national fundraising drives.”

A guide dog is a service animal that assists an individual depending on their needs.

“These service animals are specifically trained to support an individual with a disability,” said Pietrina Probst, Director of Student Access and Disability Services.

This can consist of being the lens and direction for a person, guiding them through different obstacles.

“A service animal for someone who’s blind would be guiding that person through buildings on sidewalks, you know, up the stairs,” Probst said.

While guide dogs are service animals, that does not mean that they are built to do the task of another service animal. 

“The guide dog is for someone who’s blind, and the guide dog wouldn’t necessarily be for someone with, let’s say, diabetes,” Probst said. 

Even if there are hearing obstacles, guide dogs are strictly for vision guiding.

“Hearing Dogs are for people who are Deaf or have hearing loss,” said Founder and President of Dogs On The Go Hearing Assistance Dogs, Anna Evans.

To be able to identify a service dog like a guide dog a person can find one with a vest on.

“Usually they[service dogs] have some sort of vest on one to alert people that they are a service dog,” said Dog Trainer at Woofbeach Sands, Jordan Buck.

There is a variety of different service dogs depending on their owners’ necessities.

“That could range from anything…you know, like a cardiac alert dog or a dog that has to bring medication to the owner or help, you know, open things for the owner,” Buck said.

There can even be, “Different harnesses that dogs can wear to be able to guide people,” Buck said.

At ECC, almost anyone can bring a service dog onto campus grounds.

“There’s no process. So it can be a student, it can be an employee, or it can be, you know, a visitor community member who is bringing a service animal to campus,” Probst said.

Registering could be a worry, however, “they[people] don’t need a register with our office,” Probst said.

ECC even has its own, “Specific Service Animals For Persons With disabilities, administrative procedure,” Probst said.

While going through the procedure, an individual can learn about what to do with a service dog and animal.

This can include, “What a service animal is…service animals need to be harnessed, leashed or tethered, and… the person needs to…take care of the animal with, you know, taking the animal outside to relieve itself,” Probst said.

Although a service dog is allowed to be on campus, it cannot be approached in the same way as another dog would be.

“You can’t just walk up to the service animal and start petting the dog, because the service animal is working,” Probst said.

An individual would, “ always talk to the owner first…see if they can be pet at that point. So just make sure you’re asking, make sure you’re respectful,” Buck said. 

Whether it is to help with hearing or guiding for the visually impaired, service dogs have a vital role in serving people with disabilities.