To see the pair traveling down a corridor, teamwork seemingly effortless, you'd never know they only met three and a half months ago. In October, master's student Erica Stark made an addition to her family. She gained Ike, a service dog from Paws with a Cause, based in Byron Center, outside Grand Rapids, Michigan. Erica, 23, has a BA from Central Michigan University in journalism. She was extremely active at CMU-aiming toward accessibility on campus. She also wrote for CM Life, the campus newspaper. Although Erica has cerebral palsy, she did not use a wheelchair until she began college. She continues to use crutches, but prefers the chair for trekking around campus, the mall and other long and active expeditions.
Ike is a 2-year-old black Labrador Retriever. Erica had been on a waiting list for nearly two years when the match was made between her and Ike. Paws with a Cause is very careful about the matches they make between dog and owner, for a variety of reasons. Ike was raised by a family who socialized him and played with him before he was sent to the training center. He spent six months in training to become a service dog. Once the match was made with Erica, he spent additional time training at the center with a trainer and Erica. During his second wave of training, Ike was taught specific skills that Erica needed his assistance with, including picking up footwear, answering the telephone, and opening different types of electronic doors.
Erica and Ike practice his skills on a daily basis and their trainer checks on their progress each week. The certification process is not complete until Erica and Ike return to the center and demonstrate their skill as a team within six months of the match. Once Erica and Ike are certified, they will receive a photo ID card and he will carry a sign on his pack.
Some of Ike's skills include opening electronic doors by pushing the buttons with his feet or nudging the infrared sensors with his nose, closing doors using a strap attached to the knob, pulling Erica when she holds his harness and gives the command and carrying her groceries.
Erica tries to keep Ike's days to a regular schedule. They rise aound 7:30 and take a morning walk, then Erica prepares for class. Another walk is taken around 10 or 11 a.m., and then classes fill the remainder of the afternoon, sometimes with a short break. On the way home, they take another walk and eat dinner around 5:30. Ike eats only one meal a day to maintain his healthy figure. Between 7:30 and 8 p.m., they take another walk and again between 10 and 11 p.m., just before bed.
Erica admits, "with all the positive benefits, there is one downfall, the many daily elimination walks."
Ike sleeps soundly at Erica's feet during classes, emitting the occasional grunt or groan that sometimes seems to echo the sentiments of students. Even with the door to the classroom open, Ike sleeps, undisturbed by the noises and movements in the nearby hallway and classrooms. But, as soon as Erica gives him the signal, Ike is immediately attentive.
Service dogs are not pets, although they are deeply loved and appreciated by their owners. Service animals are allowed into all establishments, including residence halls, such as Owen Graduate Center where Erica lives, precisely because they are trained employees, not pets. Because service animals are not pets, it is important to remember not to approach them or give them treats as they work. If one wishes to pet or treat a service animal, the best policy is to ask the owner first and obey his or her wishes.
Service animals are trained for many purposes; perhaps the most common is the guide dog for individuals who are blind. Animals are also trained as hearing animals, to respond to audible cues such as doorbells, babies, teapots, fire alarms and other warning sounds. Mobility service animals assist people with mobility impairments by pulling them, picking up various items, carrying items and opening and closing doors, as Ike does.
All service animals are trained to help their owners in cases of emergency. Ike and Erica regularly practice the "get help" command, which would be used in an emergency situation if Erica were threatened or in a dangerous situation.
Erica has a mild to moderate form of cerebral palsy which is unique in that it affects only her lower extremities. "It hasn't stopped me from doing a whole lot," said Erica. "I don't feel it has limited me very much, but I have had to stop and think about how to do things if I couldn't do them in the conventional manner," Erica added.
Erica enjoys journalism, and hopes to spend her time writing and editing. "I don't want to do hard news, such as covering fires, because of access issues. I would have major problems getting access to the scene. I'm afraid that if I were to get a job doing that kind of news, I'd burn out real quick from confronting those issues every day."
Erica has never shied away from confronting issues of accessibility, but explains that it can be tiring. "I started being active at CMU because my dorm room was on the second floor and they had no policy to make sure a disabled resident would get out of the building in the event of a fire," said Erica. During fire drills, she was always given advance notice so she could be in the lobby when the elevators were deactivated. "When they built the new dorms, they put all accessible rooms on the first floor," said Erica.
Condescending attitudes are another of Erica's frustrations with higher education. "I would have thought at this level that they would get beyond it," she said. "I use crutches and a chair; they are part of me, part of who I am - but not something that should be seen as an infringement on my work," Erica said. Pointing to her head, she added, "There's nothing wrong up here."
If you are interested in finding out more about service animals, contact Paws with a Cause, V/TTY 1-800-253-PAWS or (616) 698-0688. Other organizations which provide service animals are Canine Companions for Independence (1-800-572-2275, service animals other than blindness) and Leader Dogs for the Blind (1-810-651-9011, in Rochester, Mich.).