"Creature Comforts"

This article was very foreign to me because I don't know that much about service animals and how they help their owners. "Creature Comforts" was a great article to read because it informed me on the many different types of service animals and how they are used. Until this article I thought that the only service animal was a dog. I had no idea that parrots, horses, and monkeys are all used to help people with disabilities. I enjoyed how the author started with a little story and used some humor to lighten the mood. The author used people with disabilities to show how a service animal can be used in the best way. The example with Jim Eggers and his service pet Sadie showed how the relationship between animal and human is crucial in how effective the treatment is. This story also conveyed the controversy with service animals. If an animal is used for therapy only then it is not considered a service animal and the government wont allow certain benefits to be given. This is the fight that service animal owners are taking head on against the federal government. I believe that if an animal can be of assistance to anyone then it should have certain rights. Disabilities come in many different forms and how can the government determine which disabilities are worthy of a service animal?  This is an argument that crosses many different boundaries and causes outrage among the disabled. What I believe is that a national standard must be put in place that outlines what defines a service animal. What could those standards be? I assume that health will be at the forefront of these guidelines. I feel as if the government wants to restrict service animals to benefit the convenience of others. But if I were in need or had a service animal I would fight for it because a service animal is a part of me and I couldn't live without it.