Retired Service Animals
In many instances a Service Animal that has been retired, such as a canine, may often be used as a "Therapy Animal or Canine" in medical facilities such as hospitals, rehabilitation settings, and convalescent homes. It is a well-known and proven fact that animals frequently connect with humans, even if association with an individual by the animal is a first meeting. Persons with disabilities, convalescing, or undergoing rehabilitation for independent living, may experience quicker healing with periodic visits of a therapy animal. Many hospitals and other medical facilities encourage visits of Handlers with Therapy Animals to visit their patients. Retired Service Animals are often used as examples while training a younger animal and it is not uncommon for a retired service animal to spend his/her remaining life just relaxing in a pleasant environment.
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Fox Still Ready to Roll
Not every Service Canine is large and in fact, not every Service Animal is a large Canine. Take for example Foxy, who is a Sheba (Shiba) Inu originally bred in Japan. Again, this breed is considered rare in the USA, but he is quite small in comparison to other Service Canines. The AKC recognized the breed only a few years ago and they are now shown in the arena within the USA.
A miracle happened when Foxy came into this Handler's world as she had been without a Service Canine for over two years. At first, she was not sure if she should keep the canine appearing to be wild or lost, but he stole her heart when he entered her home, sat down in the middle of the living room and then refused to leave. To make matters worse, her neighbor, (a retired Pastor), threatened her by saying, "If you don't take him; I will!"
The Pastor kept saying, "He looks just like a fox"! He was right. Not only did he look like a fox, but he was also the same size and color of a fox. The name "Foxy", immediately bestowed on the canine, the next day he visited a Veterinarian to make sure he did not contain an identification microchip hidden beneath his skin. The Veterinarian examined Foxy and told his new Handler, "Looks like you have a great canine here. I have not seen one of these in many years and it is only the second one I have ever seen in (our city). His breed is of Japanese decent and has only been in our country for a few years." Later, the Handler learned it was not until mid 1990 that AKC accepted this remarkable breed into their society. The Veterinarian's only warning was to never let Foxy out of sight: The breed was extremely valuable, rare, and a runner by nature.
The breed or rarity of a canine is not as important as to what the canine might offer to a person with a disability. Foxy serves as an Alert Assistant for his Handler, warns when someone approaches, and alerts her when someone is at her door to the residence or on her property. His Handler is losing her hearing and as a Service Canine, he serves as her ears; is attentive to her every move, literally checking on her several times a day. "I am very grateful to the Pastor for "goading" me into keeping Foxy who is now most often just called "Fox", his Handler said.
Fox weighs approximately 25-pounds and is 16-inches tall. His breed can jump from a sitting position to over five-feet in height, but Fox is trained not to scale anything over three-feet. Unlike many Sheba Inu's, Fox has a very docile disposition, is people friendly and adores children, but was territorial with other canines, (regardless of size), until learning through Service Canine Gus, other canines were not a threat. A Sheba Inu is considered a non-barking species, but Fox learned through his alert program to bark once or tug on his Handler to alert her when he sensed a stranger approaching or potential danger. This breed is keenly aware of "acceptable visitors" and does not forget the scent of an individual, which allows him to alert his Handler several moments before a relative or friend is approaching their property. The Sheba Inu can live as long as 25-years and are known as 'runners' with speeds of over 20-miles per hour.
Traveling is an important part of his Handler's lifestyle and he accompanies her with greater than 95-percent of her travel. On the road, he enjoys escapades and adventures, even if it means someone has to place him on the lap of his Handler to protect his paws. With travels throughout the USA, his Handler has run into difficulties with persons not understanding the Federal Law, despite the fact she keeps Fox harnessed and usually wearing a vest. This Handler is quick to provide written documentation to help educate persons unaware of the Federal Law regarding Service Animals.
Update: On October 17, 2006, Fox was in a horrific vehicle accident while returning from a photography shoot on the Outer Banks of North Carolina on Interstate 40. While he suffered no broken bones, he was tossed out of his kennel and thrown against the steel braces of the access lift and found shaking uncontrollably by EMS crews at the door to the lift. Severely traumatized, his body shook periodically for several months and Fox did not resume task performance. After over a year had passed, his Handler/Owner accepted the fact he would no longer retrieve. While his ability remained in part as an alert assistant, the Handler required all of his former services. Ultimately, she gave him up. Fox now resides with another human in Sarasota, Florida, and is expected to live his remaining life romping in water and sand along the beach and just having fun.
J. Hollenbeck, Handler/Owner
Editor's Note: Following receipt of this canine, the new Handler learned the canine was actually born in Japan and purchased by a Soldier who was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, with the 101st Airborne Air Assault Division. The Soldier had the Japanese breeder train the canine not to jump, scratch, or bite. The end-result is this Shiba Inu is people friendly, very docile and retains his alert hearing common in this breed. When the Soldier deployed to Iraq, he gave the canine to a friend to take care of but the canine escaped - true to his gifted running nature. Remarkable is the canine sought shelter with the present Handler and has been with her ever since, serving as an Alert Assistant and Retriever for this Handler.
