Workers should be trained on how to treat those with disabilities and their service animals | Opinion

New Jersey Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Essex County) has introduced legislation that would require employees of any public place in the state to undergo specific training on how to treat people with disabilities and their service animals.

This bill couldn’t be passed fast enough for people like David Crenshaw, who was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder 11 years after returning from his deployment to the Middle East.

“During that time, I worked in several high-stress roles — as a firefighter, uniformed police officer, and as a narcotics detective for a prosecutor’s office. As my detective role became more intense and dangerous, my mother was diagnosed with late-stage cancer. This was also the time when my first external symptoms began to manifest to the point where I sought treatment at the Veterans Administration and my PTSD was diagnosed.”

“I felt helpless and vulnerable, even with my wife and three daughters. The anxiety and paranoia made me want to be alone and isolated. Every situation felt like a matter of life and death.”

“My Doc saved my life. He checks in on me countless times throughout the day. Morning, noon, and night, 24/7, he is there to care for me. But my ‘Doc’ isn’t your typical medical professional.

In fact, he isn’t a medical professional at all. He is a dog — a 4-year-old springer/Labrador mix rescued from a shelter and specially trained by K9s For Warriors as a certified Service Dog. He lives with my family and me at our home in Kearny. In the few years that we’ve been a team, Doc has changed my life. With more traditional interventions, I’ve gone from just getting by to being fully present for my family.”

Nevertheless, many veterans with PTSD and other life-altering psychological scars of war struggle to be fully present; they are too often marginalized and forgotten. They may be honored for their service and sacrifices on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, but on the other 363 days of the year, they are just other people in a mall, restaurant, or borough hall, albeit with a dog.

Far too often, they are resented for having their dog with them, both by employees and other customers. The constant refrain David and other disabled veterans hear is, “What makes them so special that they can have their dog here and I can’t?”

So, we must explore all options to mitigate this problem and ensure veterans get the care they need. This includes service dogs.