Psychiatric service dogs are misunderstood; very few people produce them and there is a desperate need for more people to do so. There are even more people that could benefit from these animals that do not realize that exist--and that they represent a treatment that can often meet needs that no other option can.

There is also a desperate need for more members of the public to be well informed regarding how to interact with people with service dogs. Did you know that it is common for people to bark (yes, that’s right, people barking!) at service dogs? If people understood more about how these dogs “work,” they can be more respectful and appropriate these outstanding animals. Sarah runs Diggity Dogs, a non-profit organization that produces medical alert and psychiatric service dogs for conditions that most people don’t realize dogs can address. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx