Grace, K. (2019). Benefits of Service Dogs for Veterans.

Retrieved from

https://companionsforheroes.org/our-services/benefits-of-service-dogs-for-

vets/?doing_wp_cron=1555232165.8179399967193603515625

Summary

The purpose and use of this source is to aid in the Short Inquiry Project’s main point that service

animals are extremely beneficial to the mental wellbeing of those in need. Through an interview

with a veteran, he explained how his PTSD was debilitating. However, after he got a service dog

he was comforted by its presence. The only weakness of this source is that it is specific to the

benefits service animals have to veterans only. The source’s strength is that it acknowledges that

service animals can benefit a variety of people from different backgrounds.

Source Evaluation

This source will help in furthering the main point myself and my group are going to make that

service dogs can benefit people suffering from mental diseases. “I was startled awake, only to

find the lights already on. My service dog—my partner, my lifeline, my friend...I whispered into

her fur, “Thanks for being there.” The nightmare was long gone so we settled back down to

sleep” (Grace, 2019).

Author Evaluation

Companion for Heroes is an organization size which received the “Seal of Transparency 2019

Gold GuideStar” award. The author, Kea Grace, has written a variety of credible article

interviews for this site.

Service Dogs. (2018, December 11). Retrieved from https://militarybenefits.info/service-

dogs/

Summary
This source also aids in one of my main points that service animals assist in the mental health of

veterans. This source explains that the Department of Veterans Affairs has included service

animals in the benefits the VA offers to veterans.

Source Evaluation

I will use this source in my short inquiry project to get across the point that there are government

stated military benefits which include providing service animals to improve the mental health of

veterans.

Author Evaluation

This source comes from a site where all of the articles are about military benefits. All of the

sources are directly from the government’s issued veteran benefits. “VA has been providing

veterinary benefits to Veterans diagnosed as having visual, hearing or substantial mobility

impairments and whose rehabilitation and restorative care is clinically determined to be

optimized through the assistance of a guide dog or service dog” (Service Dogs, 2018).

Benefits of Service Dogs. (2019, January 25). Retrieved from

https://k94life.org/programs/benefits-service-dogs/

Summary

This source goes into detail regarding The Americans With Disabilities Act. This article explains

how this act includes the right for those with disabilities to have the opportunity and option to

have a service animal. The strength of this source is that it provides information regarding the

government’s acknowledgment that service animals do provide benefits to those suffering with

disabilities.

Source Evaluation
The limitation of this source is that is only describes how service animals are included under the

Americans With Disabilities Act.

Author Evaluation

This source comes from Canine Partners for Life. This site offers a variety of articles as well as

services, volunteering opportunities, and ways to obtain a service animal. “he tasks that service

dogs perform are essential actions, like guiding people with visual impairments, signaling certain

sounds for those who are deaf, retrieving items for people with mobility issues or alerting about

impending cardiac episodes or seizures” (Benefits of Service Dogs, 2019).

Boccone, B. (2017, May 31). Service Dogs Have Emotional and Psychological Benefits,

Researchers Say – American Kennel Club. Retrieved from https://www.akc.org/expert-

advice/news/service-dogs-emotional-psychological-benefits/

Summary

This source includes interviews with service dog owners and their positive experiences with their

service dogs. This source’s weakness is that it only includes people’s opinions and not

government or official organization standards. However, the strength that this article has is that it

includes experiences of real people in their day-to-day lives.

Source Evaluation

This source will aid in the project’s main point that regardless of government acts put into place,

which include options for service animals to those with disabilities, that service animals do have

benefits. ““Before Teddie, children used to whisper to their parents and ask why I was in a

wheelchair; adults would look at me with pity,...Now, kids will get excited to talk about the dog
they saw in the grocery store, and people have no problem asking me about my dog or

complimenting us on our teamwork” (Boccone, 2017).

Author Evaluation

This source comes from the American Kennel Club, a highly respected, credible organization

that reaches people on multiple platforms.

What Services do Service Dogs Provide? (2016, June 2). Retrieved from

https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/services-service-dogs-provide/

Summary

This source helps further the main points of my short inquiry project by including the basic tasks

service dogs are required to do in order to get certified. In addition, this source also includes the

tasks service dogs take in place of emergencies. “Knows how to bark at a speaker phone to signal

for emergency, Interrupts or tags its owner during a trigger or psychiatric occurrence, Alerts

other people when its owner is in distress” (What Services do Service Dogs Provide, 2016).

Source Evaluation

This source comes from Service Dog Certifications. This is a credible source since all the articles

are directly dealing with how service dogs get certified and how people can obtain a certified

animal. However, this source is a blog-style which means that it could have been created by

anyone.

Author Evaluation

The author of this article is not stated; however, the site that this source is coming from is strictly

about service dog certifications.

 Grandparents.com. (2016, September 23). The 10 Health Benefits Of Dogs (And One

Health Risk). Retrieved from

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_57dad1b8e4b04a1497b2f5a0/amp

Summary

This source will help by including health benefits that service dogs uphold. These benefits

include improving heart health, keeping fit, reducing stress, reduce doctor’s visits, and reducing

risk of depression.

Source Evaluation

This source will help further my research for the short inquiry project since it lists proven

benefits.

Author Evaluation

This source comes from Huffington Post, a highly credible newspaper source. I do plan on

utilizing this source in my short inquiry project since it lists proven benefits to having a service

animal without having a disability.

Benefits of Owning A Dog. (2018, October 12). Retrieved from

https://www.americanhumane.org/blog/benefits-of-owning-a-dog/

Summary

This source discusses benefits to owning a dog in general, not just a service animal. However,

there are credible points made regarding a dog’s natural nature.

Source Evaluation

I may not include this source in my project since it it repetitive to the previous source from

Huffington Post, discussing researched benefits from service dogs to a person’s health.

Author Evaluation
This source comes from The American Humane Society organization, a highly credible,

respected site.

Saunders, J., Parast, L., Babey, S. H., & Miles, J. V. (2017, June 23). Exploring the

differences between pet and non-pet owners: Implications for human-animal interaction

research and policy. Retrieved from

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0179494

Summary

This source discusses the high percentage of Americans living with animals; however, discusses

how there is no certain evidence that there are health benefits related to owning an animal.

Source Evaluation

I do not plan on utilizing this source since some of its research goes against the main points I

plan on proving through other research. This source states that there is unclear evidence between

pet ownership and health benefits. This source does not specifically discuss the proven health

benefits that come from service animals.

Author Evaluation

This source comes from the academic journal, Plos One. This academic journal includes certified

research; making it highly credible.

Interview: Benefits of Having a Dog. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.msn.com/en-

us/health/wellness/interview-benefits-of-having-a-dog/vp-BBV76V8

Summary
This source includes an interview regarding the emotional benefits of having an animal. The

negative to this article is that it is not specifically talking about the benefits of having a service

animal.

Source Evaluation

I will most likely use this source to get across the point that dogs have a good nature and they do

not have to be certified service animals to provide emotional benefits

Author Evaluation

This site is not entirely credible since it is a blog style site; however, it includes an interview.

Monika, Kat, Nancy, Goldfarb, S., Wenholz, J., Kelsey, . . . Smith, S. (2015, August 31).

Home. Retrieved from https://www.patriciamcconnell.com/theotherendoftheleash/book-

review-dogs-and-human-health

Summary

A book review of dogs and their benefits on human health

Source Evaluation

The purpose of this source is to get across the point that dogs do provide benefits to both human

emotional and physical health

Author Evaluation

This site is not entirely credible since it is a blog style site

“Characteristics.” Dogtime, dogtime.com/dog-breeds/characteristics.

(Characteristics).

Finlay, Katie. “What Do Police Dogs Do? – American Kennel Club.” American Kennel Club, 30

June 2017, www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/what-do-police-dogs-do/.

(Finaly).

Grace, K. (2019). Benefits of Service Dogs for Veterans. Retrieved from

https://companionsforheroes.org/our-services/benefits-of-service-dogs-for-

vets/?doing_wp_cron=1555232165.8179399967193603515625

What Services do Service Dogs Provide? (2016, June 2). Retrieved from

https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/services-service-dogs-provide/