This week is International Assistance Dog Week (August 6-12) which was established to raise awareness and honor the incredible work that assistance dogs do to help individuals with disability related limitations. It was also created to recognize the trainers, puppy raisers, and handlers that have devoted their time and expertise to these dogs to ensure proper training and care.
Here in the Still Picture Branch at the National Archives, we have a handful of photographs within our holdings that show these specially trained dogs aiding many individuals. Let’s give these dogs a big round of a-paws!
Pfc. Kiyoto Nakai, blinded AJA veteran of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Company G, is accompanied by his seeing-eye dog, Cubby. Oahu, Hawaii. September 10, 1945.
(Left) Local ID: 111-SC-212046. (Right) Local ID: 111-SC-226995.
Yoshina Omiya arriving in the busiest part of downtown Honolulu with its traffic and crowded streets. His seeing-eye dog, Audrey, turns her head right and left to make sure that all is clear. May 2, 1945.
(Left) Local ID: 111-SC-329079. (Right) Local ID: 111-SC-329077.
Chester Bodzio, blind worker in the Philadelphia Navy Yard, and his Seeing Eye dog. June 26, 1943.
(Left) Local ID: 80-G-72980. (Right) Local ID: 80-G-72981.
Thomas J. Mitchell, blind Navy veteran, with his dog. May 1954.
(Left) Local ID: 80-G-702684. (Right) Local ID: 80-G-702683.
Ukie and his owner, Lowell “Butch” Fair at Kennedy Space Center. Ukie was bred and raised to be a “Service Dog” under the Canine Companions for Independence (CCIT) Program, and is the first specially trained dog of his kind at KSC.
National Disability and Awareness Month at the Kennedy Space Center – Canine Companions for Independence
(Local ID: 255-KSC-392C-6485, Frames 32 and 33, NAID: 203250443)
These service dogs were all trained to perform a specific task that was directly related to their handler’s disability. While the terms service dog, working dog, therapy dog, and emotional support dog are not interchangeable, all of these types of dogs fulfill important roles in aiding people.
In addition to the hard-working service dogs shared above, we have many other photographs showing other ways dogs take on different roles in bringing comfort to individuals!
Interested in seeing more? Check out the National Archives Catalog! You can also read the previous blog post from The Unwritten Record: Go for Broke: The 442nd Infantry Regiment and checkout more of our blogs relating to dogs for more content!
Sources:
- About International Assistance Dog Week (IADW)
- International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP)
- Service Dogs, Working Dogs, Therapy Dogs, Emotional Support Dogs: What’s the Difference?
The photographs included in this post have no known copyright restrictions. If you have any questions about the images in this post or the holdings of the Still Picture Branch, please contact us at stillpix@nara.gov.
PUBLICATION OF PHOTOGRAPHS FURNISHED BY THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES STILL PICTURE BRANCH-RRSS
Generally, copies of photographic records held by the National Archives may be published without special permission or additional fees. The National Archives does not grant exclusive or non-exclusive publication privileges. Copies of Federal records, as part of the public domain, are equally available to all. A small percentage of photographs in our holdings are or may be subject to copyright restrictions. The National Archives does not confirm the copyright status of photographs but will provide any information known about said status. It is the user’s responsibility to obtain all necessary clearances. Any use of these items is made at the researcher’s or purchaser’s own risk.
Proper credit lines are encouraged in the interest of good documentation. They also help inform the public about government photographic resources that are available.
*Because so many of our requests for information cite credits and captions that appear in published works, the inclusion of a photo number in hard copy and electronic publications is of great assistance to both us and the public.
Examples of preferred credit lines are as follows:
- National Archives photo no. 210-G-C241
- Credit National Archives (photo no. 83-G-41368)
- Courtesy National Archives, photo no. 83-G-41430
- National Archives (210-G-A14)
If using a large number of our images, the National Archives will appreciate receiving copies of publications that contain our photographs. Such copies can be sent to the Still Picture Branch or the Library, National Archives and Records Administration.