From all across Orange County and the country, service animals and their trainers gathered at ARTIC on April 6 for OCTA’s biannual event dedicated to helping these special animals become comfortable with public transportation.
More than 20 groups attended, including The GO Team with trainers from New York, Florida, Colorado, and California, and Guide Dogs for the Blind, headquartered in San Rafael, Ca. With 229 attendees, this was the biggest turnout ever.
Twice a year, OCTA hosts a special free opportunity to familiarize therapy and service animals with public transportation. Animals that are comfortable with the sounds, movement and layout of a bus increase the independence and confidence of their handlers.
OCTA is one of the only public transportation agencies in the country to offer this opportunity. Around 20,000 dogs work as assistance animals in the United States, according to the American Human Society.
OCTA will conduct the next Service Animal Training Day on October 5, 2019.
