Micah Matisse - January 07, 1997 to January 21,2007
He appeared to be no more than an adorable I0-pound bundle of white fur, but Micah Matisse (named after the prophet and artist) was a highly trained assistant. Many of us assume service dogs are limited to leader dogs that guide the blind. However dogs may be trained to assist the deaf, those confined to wheel chairs or hospital beds, or those with neurological problems such as seizure disorders, Parkinson's Disease and brain injury. When Micah was working, he wore a uniform-a tiny red vest with the words "Service Dog" stitched in gold to make it easier for people to recognize that he was not a pet.
Like all service animals, he had a long list of attributes- intelligent, loyal, watchful, obedient, and silent while working (unless he wanted to alert me.). Because l do not need my canine assistant to lift things or help me move, his tiny size was immaterial. Micah’s primary duty was to keep meattentive and focused, providing many cues for me that I would otherwise receive from my alarm and recorder. However, Micah was more consistent than mechanical devices that I must activate, and he allowed me to expend less energy to accomplish a wide range of tasks.
Because I used to travel frequently to lecture and often feil asleep in airport waiting rooms, I depended upon Micah to awaken me and make sure I boarded the plane. He took me for a two-mile walk each day in whatever city we were visiting, and guided me back to our hotel room without getting us lost. He could return me to any location-my car, a meeting place, or my chair in a restaurant or conference hall. He reminded me to take my medications at night, and kept me from straying if l was with a friend in a crowded mail. This isn't magic. Utilizing his special canine abilities, he was carefully trained to do these tasks.
Micah made it possible for me to engage in one of my sports-rollerblading. Before Micah accompanied me, I tend to be inattentive while skating along the bike path and am likely to cause collisions. l had had a few narrow escapes because I failed to notice oncoming people. Then, I put Micah in my backpack and discovered he would nudge me each time someone approached. With him along, I had a heightened alertness and stayed out of the way of others.
Micah, by Federal law, could accompany to me into any public place. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides all disabled persons the legal right to take their service dog into every place open to the general public including restaurants, mails, airplanes, post offices, beaches, and hotels.
Like all service animals, he had a long list of attributes- intelligent, loyal, watchful, obedient, and silent while working (unless he wanted to alert me.). Because l do not need my canine assistant to lift things or help me move, his tiny size was immaterial. Micah’s primary duty was to keep meattentive and focused, providing many cues for me that I would otherwise receive from my alarm and recorder. However, Micah was more consistent than mechanical devices that I must activate, and he allowed me to expend less energy to accomplish a wide range of tasks.
Because I used to travel frequently to lecture and often feil asleep in airport waiting rooms, I depended upon Micah to awaken me and make sure I boarded the plane. He took me for a two-mile walk each day in whatever city we were visiting, and guided me back to our hotel room without getting us lost. He could return me to any location-my car, a meeting place, or my chair in a restaurant or conference hall. He reminded me to take my medications at night, and kept me from straying if l was with a friend in a crowded mail. This isn't magic. Utilizing his special canine abilities, he was carefully trained to do these tasks.
Micah made it possible for me to engage in one of my sports-rollerblading. Before Micah accompanied me, I tend to be inattentive while skating along the bike path and am likely to cause collisions. l had had a few narrow escapes because I failed to notice oncoming people. Then, I put Micah in my backpack and discovered he would nudge me each time someone approached. With him along, I had a heightened alertness and stayed out of the way of others.
Micah, by Federal law, could accompany to me into any public place. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides all disabled persons the legal right to take their service dog into every place open to the general public including restaurants, mails, airplanes, post offices, beaches, and hotels.
When he was in uniform and working, l carried his service dog documentation; he was too tiny to carry his own. Ironically, we believed his small size was a plus. He fit into small spaces and was
unobtrusive when he needed to be. We also believed he would live longer than the Labrador or Golden Retriever who are common service dogs. We were wrong. After a sudden and swift illness, Micah died. He I was ten. I may always mourn him. Claudia |