Are you interested in acquiring a service dog? This can be a lengthy and expensive process, but potentially a good fit for some individuals. Here are a few local options to consider if you want to research the possibility. For many people, having a pet at home is sufficient and a service dog is unnecessary. For others, being able to bring a service dog with them to locations where they need assistance with physical or mental health concerns may be beneficial.
Understand that service animals are not the same as a therapy animal. The job is different. Service animals receive intensive training. Due to concerns about the human’s safety, the animal is trained to override some natural instincts for the benefit of their human partner: i.e. a search and rescue dog runs into danger for their job, even when their instinct may be to run away. There are benefits to this, but there are also benefits to having an animal who has the autonomy to be their own self. The natural of animal assisted therapy (in the context of how I practice) allows for that autonomy because it’s a part of the therapeutic process.
Canine Companions: DC and Chesapeake Chapters
https://canine.org/service-dogs/is-a-dog-right-for-you/
Fidos for Freedom
https://fidosforfreedom.org/