National Service Dog Month highlights vital roles for people with disabilities

September marks National Service Dog Month, a period dedicated to recognizing the vital roles service dogs play for individuals with disabilities. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service dogs are defined as animals individually trained to perform specific tasks directly related to a person's disability, such as guiding the visually impaired, alerting the deaf to sounds, or assisting with mobility and medical alerts like seizures.

It is important to distinguish service dogs from emotional support animals, as the latter do not meet the ADA definition of performing specific tasks. While many service dogs wear vests or harnesses, such gear is not a legal requirement for identification.

In honor of the month and National Service Dog Day on September 20, personal accounts highlight the profound impact these animals have on veterans. Marine Corps veteran JC Andrades Cordova shared how his service dog, Chambo, helped him regain confidence and independence while managing service-connected disabilities and the invisible challenges of life after military service.