Vannessa
Co-Founder & Training Director
Vannessa was born and raised in Southern New Hampshire. She has an extensive history of animal care roles, dog training, and management experience. She applied her knowledge and expertise to start her own company for obedience dog training.
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After founding K9 Role Models in 2019 she has helped numerous owners and dogs; specializing in off-leash obedience, service dog training, and behavioral modification. She developed a passion for helping individuals with disabilities train their dogs for service tasks and needs.
Catherine
Co-Founder & Head of Communications
Victim and Disability Advocate
Although raised in New Hampshire, Catherine was sent to a behavioral modification program out of state with a broken system. Which later on sparked her devotion to victim advocacy and child psychology.
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Catherine uses her degree in Child Psychology to specialize in C-PTSD and trauma-related disorders. She works extensively in treatment facility research, investigations, and victim advocacy.
Unity Service Dogs
Mission & Vision
Empowering lives through compassionate training and expertly matched psychiatric service dogs, our brand is dedicated to fostering hope, independence, and resilience for individuals living with mental health challenges.
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Unity Service Dogs’s commitment involves diligently fostering the bond between dog and handler, tailoring training methods to individual needs, and prioritising the well-being of both client and canine partner.
With us, we ensure the reliability and effectiveness of each trained assistance dog, maintaining ethical standards, and providing ongoing support to handlers to promote successful partnerships.
We provide industry leading training through continuous education, staying ahead of the latest research and methods in psychiatric service dog training, and delivering exceptional care to clients and their canine companions.
ASSURANCE
COMMITMENT
EXCELLENCE
Difference Types of
Service Dogs
Psychiatric Service Dogs
A psychiatric assistance dog or psychiatric service dog is a sub-category of assistance dog trained to assist their handler witha psychiatric disability or a mental disability, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.
Psychiatric service dogs (PSDs) are dogs that are specially trained to work with people who have certain kinds of mental illnesses or learning disabilities. These dogs can help their owners perform tasks that they otherwise might not be able to do or help them to live a more independent lifestyle.
PSDs are trained animals that aren’t to be confused with other types of service animals.
Psychiatric Service Dogs
Common Applications
Psychiatric service dogs, much like their counterparts trained for physical disabilities, play an essential role in supporting individuals with mental health challenges. These highly trained canines offer a unique form of assistance such as;
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Bipolar disorders
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Schizophrenia
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Agoraphobia
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Social phobias
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Panic attacks
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​Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
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Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
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Depression
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Anxiety
Americans With
Disabilities Act (ADA)
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) says that service animals are dogs that are trained to work with people who have disabilities. Each dog is individually trained to help people with tasks that they might not otherwise be able to do.
Service dogs can help guide people with vision, mobility, or physical difficulties.
Psychiatric service dogs. PSDs are trained to work with people who have certain mental health issues rather than physical disabilities.
These dogs have the same rights as service dogs do, meaning they can go with you in places where pets usually aren’t allowed. PSDs also can travel with you on planes without any additional cost.
Psychiatric service dogs can be any breed of dog or any size, as long as the dog is able to accompany the owner to public places.
Are you Qualified
for a Service Animal?
The ADA states that anyone with a diagnosed disability can get a service dog. The disability may be physical or mental, and it must impact your life to the point where major activities are limited.
Mental illnesses – like anxiety, depression, or PTSD – can be a disability if they put limitations on your life. Some examples might be if you can’t work or leave your home due to the illness.
To qualify for a PSD, your mental illness has to prevent you from living your life independently. If you have a mental illness, but it doesn’t limit your daily life, you wouldn’t be able to get a psychiatric service dog.
You also must be able to show that you can give the dog commands, care for it, and give it a stable and loving home.
