I know the title can seem a little off-putting or even rude, but it something that all prospective handers should think about.
I had a poster that was explaining to another follower what a service dog was. She said that a service dog was a "designer treatment" for a specific medical condition(s) and then likened that to how some people wish to carry or wear designer handbags or clothes instead of buying the more common less expensive brands. I had never heard it be put that way, but I do think she hit the nail on the head.
There are ways, typically through medications, that are more common, more accepted, and cheaper ways to mitigate most symptoms for which we use most of our service dogs. For example, me, with PTSD there are tons of drugs out there to help mitigate my symptoms. The problem is that when I have to take that handful of pills I turn into a drooling zombie which creates even more problems, like work. So, for me, the action of getting a service dog was actually one of the best decisions I have ever made.
So, you have decided that a service dog would be the best decision for you? Now you get to decide how you are going to get one more specifically how you are going to pay for it.
Insurance/Medicaid/Medicare
Simply said, they, as a whole, are not going to pay. Typical insurance companies see the use of service dogs as a novel treatment and will not back it, no matter how many studies come out showing the effectiveness of service dogs.
Some HSA's will allow for service dogs after a doctor has signed off for one as a needed medical expense.
So for a trained service dog be ready to shell out $20,000 or more along with the typical 1-2 year wait after you have been approved to get one.
Alternatives
Grants: There are several organizations, including Assistance Dogs International and Service Dogs for America, that help people with disabilities find service dogs for little or no cost.
Crowdfunding: Reach out to your social networks to raise money for your service dog by creating a fundraising campaign on sites like Kickstarter or GoFundMe.
FSA: You can use a flexible spending account (FSA) attached to your insurance policy to buy a service dog if you get a letter of medical necessity (LMN) from your doctor. An FSA allows you to use your salary before taxes, making it less expensive than paying out of pocket.
Personal Loan: I would stay away from these as the interest rates can almost double the cost and with the fact you might get 8 years of service from your service dog, would you have the loan paid off by then?
Self Training/Owner Training: Yes this is an option, at least here in the US. Many people do this. The problem is it normally takes 2 years to train and it is very intensive. The main problem is time and motivation. It is hard!
On-Going Costs
Many people forget that even after getting their service dog there are continuing costs involved, from simple food everyday to emergency trips to the veterinarian. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC). It breaks the cost down to between $700 to $1,000 a year for vet visits and between around $200 to $2,500 a year for grooming, food, toys and treats. Please remember these numbers are from several years ago, and are going to be a lot higher now. We just completed a wellness check for my service dog and by itself was over $300.
My current budget looks more like this:
- Food: About $100 / month
- Vet/Grooming/Medications: About $200 / month
- Other: About $50 / Month
- Total: $4200 / year
I am not writing this to try to dissuade anyone from pursuing their own service dog, as I said previously my getting one was the best thing that I ever did. Simply I want everyone to understand the added costs which they may not have thought of previously.
If you are new here on sercivedogadvocate.com we have tons of articles you may be interested in. Here are a few:
How Much Does It Cost to Train a Service Dog? 2024 Pricing Update
Things I Wish I had Known: from Service Dog Teams
The Road to Having a Service Dog, The Foundation (US)