Just FYI for everyone. If you have a service dog, the company cannot ask for any of your medical information or certification for the animal (does that even exist?) or a doctor’s note. All they can do is ask, “What service does the animal perform?”
Since this is IMHO, I think business deserve some protection from those that do not have legitimate ADA service animals. I think that counties should have to verify that the service dog is needed under ADA and issue a license for free that says effectively “This is a registered service dog.” that must be shown upon request. AND the county must go to the home to do this if the person with a disability is unable to travel. Is that unreasonable?
It could fool people.
I Do Not use it.
I never have taken my dog in a store, restaurant or business of any kind.
I got the “official” looking paper. To prove to myself that anyone can do it. With nothing more than a letter you convinced your Doc to write. No training. No ADA certificate. No common sense required. Nothing.
And people believe me and my dog have rights. But it’s a lie. There are NONE. No legal right.
Again, I DON’T use it.
I’m trying to say, in my usual clumsy way, somehow, some way people have decided that they deserve to do anything they want in the name of comfort and support simply because that is what they want.
It makes it hard on people who actually need therapy and service dogs. It makes it hard on others, scared employees, allergic persons. Businesses and entities who have to accommodate these untrained animals.
I DO NOT AVAIL MYSELF or MY DOG of these things. My dog stays home 99% of the time.
Please read my words.
I would never discommode people in this way.
(BTW, you don’t even have to have an in-person Doctor. For a fee you can do it online. If you can refer others to do it you get 15% off your fee. Unbelievable!)
I’m still confused. What is THE “official” looking paper considering there is no official paper. And even if there were and you had it, the business cannot legally ask for it. Same with the doctor’s note. I guess I don’t get the hoops you jumped through when you could have simply bought a Service Dog vest and although it’s a lie any business would legally have to shrug and say, “Whatever.”
Caveat: The could still ask, “What service does the dog perform?” But then just lie and say something suitably medical like, “He fetches my arm when it falls off.”
Can I hijack the tread for a bit? I saw the coolest service dog service on a Youtube short. The owner suffers from hallucinations so when he’s talking to someone he will tell the dog, “Greet.” If the visitor is real, the dog will go to the person. If there is no one there, the dog won’t move.
The place I registered with sends you a certificate.
It’s not worth the paper it’s printed on.
I had to come up with a doc letter. I had one. Easy to get. I got a second letter from my therapist. Didn’t even flinch. Made the letter.
I emailed a copy of a letter. I described my need. I told what my dog does for me. That was easy.
He’s not trained to do anything. He happens to be perceptive enough to know when I’m upset or worried. He’s not exactly brave. So, if I’m in trouble he’d win the race to hide somewhere.
The place didn’t require any training. Obedience or otherwise.
They did require my credit card number.
Approved.
Days later I got a certificate, a banner for the dog, and a laminated card for my wallet.
I know a woman who suffered a traumatic brain injury. She was unable to walk across a room because she was too unsteady. She got a service dog that was trained to always walk by her side, pressed against her. It totally changed her life, she was able to go out and about again after two years of seclusion.
But she looks very normal. A few times people have challenged her about her dog even though it wears a vest provided by the organization that trained her dog.
My dog is NOT a service dog. He’s a stray who walked up on my deck.
He’s a great dog.
I don’t know if he had obedience training.
He is well mannered. Fits right in my bunch.
He’s learned to talk on buttons. He’s learned a few tricks that amuse me. He is in tune with me. Til he’s not. If my son comes up, he loses his shit. He loves my son. He rides him on the 4 wheeler. And plays with him.
He shepherds kids and little dogs. He’s kinda leery of the cats. He watches for snakes in the yard.
I’m trying to say. Real service dogs are a blessing to those who need them. They are specifically trained.
Comfort and support dogs are not necessarily trained. The whole thing is a joke. If you need comfort and support, I’m sorry for you. I hope your animal helps you. If you get in businesses with that animal it’s because the business ALLOWS it. Not because you have a legal right to do it.
They should be. Put an end to the stupid controversy. Establish a standard for service dogs, make it illegal to use a Service Dog vest on a dog not so certified. Owners of service dogs should carry a government approved certificate. It can even be displayed on the dog’s vest, or just something like a QR code that would allow confirmation of the dog’s status if a question arose.
Any other restrictions on pets in public or private spaces have to be dealt with separately. A service dog is not a pet or a comfort animal.
My mom, a literacy teacher, brought her bluetick to class when they read “Where the Red Fern Grows”. As a dog that is in heaven if she’s receiving attention, and utter hell if she’s not, she’s never been happier. She’s not a service dog, it’s purely a show-and-tell; though the protagonist’s dogs are redbones, they’re very similar-looking and -acting dogs. But if she misbehaved, getting rambunctious or even her common mouthing for attention, that’s the end of it, as it should be. She also comes in on days there are no students. She seems to prefer that to her crate.
That’s cool as hell, but also terrifying.
As for on-topic: its frustrating that so many people are willing to abuse regulations designed to help others. It’s moved into the rental market as well - the number of people that claim an Emotional Support Animal to get around restrictions make it harder for everyone else trying to play by the rules.
There’s a loophole that these people are using.
By law, you can’t ask specific questions of disabled persons.
So if a person has a dog with vest or kerchief on others have to assume, so as to not come afoul of your civil rights, that you have the right to bring your dog there.
If some person questions you, then you pull out the “official looking” paper or card or tell them they are infringing on your civil rights not to be questioned about their disability.
People with ADA service dogs are having to deal with this. It’s not right.
Horses are not as bright as dogs, considered as a species. But they are social animals and are extremely trainable. Individually, just like dogs and people, they vary widely in brightness. There are horses that teach themselves how to unlatch horse-proof latches and let every other horse out of their stalls as well. Brighter than horses: donkeys. But not as obedient.
It doesn’t have to be complicated. No need to ask a person what their disability is. Certification should ensure a reasonable standard of safety around a service animal. Idiots who would use someone else’s service animal for whatever selfish reason they decide to do so are another matter. But I don’t see much of a problem there. If the dog has been properly trained then people don’t have a reasonable objection to being in it’s presence.
If you are working at a business or state/local government facility and it is unclear to you whether someone’s dog is a service dog, you may ask for certain information using two questions.
You may ask:
Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
