Sociala tjänstehundar - användning, lagstiftning och djurvälfärd i mötet mellan hund och människa

The purpose of this report is to present what a social service dog is, what work it does, how the people it helps are affected by the dog-assisted intervention, what needs the social service dog has and how its health and other welfare are affected by the work effort. The report results in a number of recommendations in order to ensure that the welfare of social service dogs is not adversely affected. Social service dogs are part of the international concept of Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI). Within this area, dogs can be included in dog-assisted activity, dog-assisted therapy, dog-assisted education/pedagogy and dog-assisted coaching. Research shows that dog-assisted activities in nursing homes lead to reduced depression, increased quality of life, an increased number of social interactions, lower heart rate and blood pressure, and higher body temperature. Dog-assisted therapy in hospitals increases patients' well-being and reduces anxiety, depression and stress. Dog-assisted pedagogy in the form of reading dogs leads to improved reading ability in pupils and has positive effects on learning. In a combination of therapy and pedagogy, dogs can also support pupils with neurodevelopmental disorders. A questionnaire to Swedish dog handlers showed that all who work with their dog in schools have experienced positive results from the dog-assisted intervention. A social service dog is always educated and always works with its owner. The social service dog works as a colleague with its owner and performs activities against a third person. Clients, procurers of assignments, decision-makers and educators need to be familiar with the terminology. Guidelines and procedures for social service dogs need to be known by anyone who procures and educate social service dogs. Dogs' communication with humans has evolved so that the dog often seeks eye contact with its owner, signals what it wants with different behaviours, but also reads and understands people's signals and body language. The attachment between dog and owner and which attachment style they have is important for how safe the dog feels in new and unknown environments. Dogs may get increased heart rate and elevated cortisol levels when they experience stress or become agitated, and lowered heart rate and increased oxytocin levels when they experience safe close contact with humans. The puppy planned to become a future social service dog should be chosen taking into account that the individual has good social characteristics and appropriate temperament. It is important that the puppy is socialized by the breeder. Growing up, the puppy and the young dog should get positive experiences with the owner through play, training in impulse control, obedience and environmental training. Factors that can affect the welfare of the dog during work are frequency and duration of interventions, how well the dog knows the environment and clients, predictability, controllability, eligibility and age. Dogs generally thrive from physical activity, mental stimulation and positive social contacts. Studies of dogs participating in AAI have generally not shown physiological signs of stress. However, it has been found that some individuals may show signs of stress during some work activities. Great responsibility rests on the owner to ensure that the dog's needs are met and Abstract that the work is adapted for that particular individual. It is important that the dog be given the opportunity to rest and recover. In order to maintain a good welfare, it is highly desirable to have educated dog handlers. If an older dog shows signs of impaired physical and mental abilities, unwanted behaviours or a reluctance to work, the dog should retire. The dog's welfare must be carefully monitored as the dog may be trained to stay calm in stressful environments and not show behaviours of stress even if it experiences it. The dog handler is responsible for the health of the social service dog and must have competence for this. A plan to reduce risks to the dog's health during AAI should be developed together with the manager of the workplace and be communicated to staff and clients. A dog that shows signs of impaired health should not work. A veterinarian should decide on appropriate treatment and convalescence in case of ill health, and should decide if and to what extent the dog can return to work. A dog physiotherapist and ethologist can, in cooperation with a veterinarian, contribute to treatment and decisions about the dog's working capacity. Social service dogs should undergo regular veterinary examinations to assess the health and fitness of the dog as a social service dog and an individual health plan should be made. Guidelines for the retirement of service dogs needs to be developed. The risk of spreading zoonotic infections between dogs and humans is low in Sweden. Dogs can contribute to object-borne infection and routines to reduce this risk need to be in place. Multiresistant bacteria can spread from dog to human and vice versa. In the case of MRSA (Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and MRSP (Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus pseudointermedius), there are specific rules to follow. In order to reduce the risk of spreading ESBL (Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase), there is reason not to feed social service dogs with fresh food. There is a lack of scientific support for the existence of hypoallergenic breeds. The presence of allergens can be reduced through good routines. There are several Swedish guidelines and recommendations for how a social service dog should work in health and social care, but this is lacking for the school's area. The National Association of School Nurses is positive about dogs in school and welcomes the fact that the Swedish National Agency for Education raises the issue. Internationally, there are both comprehensive recommendations for animal-supported interventions and within Europe there are several different recommendations for dog-assisted interventions. There are two trade associations for social service dogs. The Association for Social Service Dogs has members from both educators and dog teams who work in health care, school, care and social work and the association has guidelines for education of social service dog teams and work to create good conditions for dog teams and educators. The Association for Swedish Dog Companies focus on dog teams that has VAT-number and who carry out their work within a company. To become a member of the Association for Swedish Dog Companies dog teams has to show certificates that they fulfil the associations requirements of education of the dog handler and the dog. There are no guidelines and requirements for what an education should contain; the same applies to examination regarding the entire perspective within AAI. There is only one standard created for a specific target group that applies to the elderly with dementia and people with acquired brain damage. After completing education as a social service dog, the dog teams in Sweden are examined at the respective educators. A survey to six of the Swedish educators of social service dogs showed that the scope of the central content of the education varies greatly between the educators. In Sweden, there are no guidelines decided by the authorities on how aptitude tests of future social service dogs should be designed. In addition, there is no independent organisation that carries out suitability assessments of prospective social service dog teams. The educators normally carries out an aptitude assessment of the dog before the education starts, but the assessments vary between the different educators. After passing the examination, the educators issue a two-year permit and identity documents for the social service dog. A survey to handlers of social service dogs showed that there is a wide range of dog breeds and educators in Sweden. The main risks to the social service dogs were the behaviour of the clients, the environment and outdoor dog meetings. The most common incidents the social service dogs have been subjected to were physical violence by clients. The most common incidents caused by social service dogs were lacerations. Risk analysis should be carried out by the operator in consultation with the dog handler at the place where the service dog is to come in order to reduce the risks to the participants and the dog. Risk management should be done continuously to minimize anything happening to the participants or the social service dog. It is important to take into account the welfare of the dog in the performance of a risk assessment. The person who professionally keeps animals must have permission from the county administrative board. According to the report about the new Animal Welfare Act, it is pointed out that everyone who engages in professional activities with pets must have a permit. In the case of authorisation, particular emphasis shall be placed on the competence of the animal owner. Animals must not be exhausted, mentally as well as physically. Animal keepers shall, through infection control preventions, reduce the risk of spreading infection between animals and humans. If a facility carries out organized dog visit activities, the owner must report this to the county administrative board and there are increased requirements for visiting rules. In order to strengthen the welfare of social service dogs, the following recommendations are proposed: The dog handler should always be educated together with its dog. The social service dog should always work together with the dog handler with which it has been educated. The same rules and requirements for animal welfare, hygiene, competence and systematic quality work should apply to anyone who uses their dogs in a business, whether it is a dog team or staff with staff dogs. The issue of licensing obligations needs to be investigated and clarified by the responsible authorities. Requirements for licensing can be a way to ensure the competence of dog handlers, quality in the performance of the service and good welfare of the social service dog. All social service dogs should have an individual health plan that includes a regular veterinary check-up. When an ethologist is hired, they must have education corresponding to the Swedish Board of Agriculture's definition (SJVFS 2019:16, No. L 103), as well as at least one course on dog behaviour. Aptitude assessments, education and examination should be standardised. A trade association focusing on social service dogs should accredit the education. The accredited trade association should, after the dog team has passed the examination, issue an ID valid for two years for the social service dog with owner, after which the dog team should perform a quality test to obtain updated IDs. The same trade association should keep a register of social service dogs that have valid ID documents and are proposedly registered by the County Administrative Board. Procurers of services rendered by social service dog teams should contact the accredited trade association in their region to find out if the team has a valid ID. Insurance companies should check valid ID before a social service dog is insured. In order to provide everyone in a business that receives social service dogs with their handlers information about what applies when working with dogs, it is recommended to have a binder with all important information on an appropriate place where everyone can read it