Faking Service Dogs Hurt Real SD Teams(The Law)

[Headache]

Unfortunately some people bring dogs thru airports and other places and I can tell they are not real service animal, which make difficult for people like myself to get access.

I'm sorry that has happened to you arctic cat and it's something many of us have been fighting to change for an unfortunately long time.  If I saw that happen to you I can assure you whoever was supposed to protect your rights would hear about it from me.  

 

[Gunny]

Taken by the Flight Attendant after the announcement of the animals retirement after 12 years in and out of combat. She is on her way to be a therapy dog. I would give up my seat for her. 

Say what you will, if a person with PTSD believes an animal helps, so be it. Train them to behave in public and mind your own damn business,. 

If there had been service dogs available when my PTSD was at it's worst I would have used one instead of the mind numbing drugs (legal) the VA hands out like candy.

You can beat a subject to death, accept the fact that until there is a comprehensive LAW regarding service animals versus support animals folks will just have to deal with it.

 

[TrainChaser]

Isn't that a Mal???!!!

 

[Gunny]

I think so, they are the most common dogs for the Marines. If you look close it's owner is by the window, seems the lady whose lap she is on said"pretty girl" and she came to visit.

I agree with those who say support animals should be well trained, not just buy a halter on Amazon and declare it a support dog or support gerbil, whatever.

Spent yesterday at the VA Clinic and saw a minimum of ten support dogs, all well behaved.

If a support dog can stop just one of the 22 per day suicides of our veterans I am all for them.

 

[justbreathe]

Amen, Gunny, Amen!

 

[GotSmart]

This has me shaking my head.  A DUCK?

https://us.yahoo.com/celebrity/meet-daniel-fave-emotional-support-162327941.html

This is Daniel. He is no ordinary duck. Daniel is an emotional support animal, AKA a pet who has been prescribed by a mental health specialist as providing necessary comfort for their human’s psychological disorders. An emotional support animal needs to come with a license, but once they do you can take the pet on a flight without being charged a pet fee and can live in an apartment that doesn’t otherwise allow pets.

Apparently by paying $50 you can get anything registered.

http://www.petful.com/service-animal/service-dog-fraud/

 

[Nelda]

HA.  I almost posted that here too, but I couldn't stop shaking my head.

 

[DrJean]

There is no certification required, but it's good to have a letter or even a script from your medical doctor or psychologist regarding a need for the service dog or for the emotional support animal.

Actually there are no separate State laws, legally.  All must abide by the ADA.  The two questions that can be asked are : is the a service dog?  What two or three tasks does it do for you that you can't do for yourself?   Of course, this doesn't apply when the dog is in training.  A service dog in training is allowed anywhere a trained one is allowed.  (Unfortunately this does not include places of worship, where they can refuse your presence with the service dog!  I no longer attend any worship services since I have no place to go.)

It does greatly hurt those of us who use and need a service dog when others lie about their pet just because they want to drag it along.  The two questions usually ferret those liars out.

I have had to educate many business owners, especially restaurants, by calling the police to inform.  I do carry ID for the dog as I have the ADA law printed on the back. hahaha   Received many a free meal...even after leaving having a letter mailed to me for same...they don't want to be sued!

Excuses are not accepted. If someone is allergic or afraid, well, there's therapy for that and they need to address their own issues and not impose upon the rest of us who are.

Just my 2 cents. ((I have more to spend btw))

Jean

 

[DrJean]

One of the reasons for no visible designator is for the protection of the owner.  A disabled person often has hidden disabilities.  For example, which I dare share to the world, a hearing ear guide dog, like mine, hears certain tones for me.  While he wears the indicator of an international orange collar and leash, most people don't know this, and a mugger probably wouldn't know.  It would be very easy for someone with bad intentions to attack someone who can't hear well.  Having to wear a vest or patch or whatever to indicate this disability puts me at greater risk. 

The same for the PTSD. When it comes to PTSD it could be an ESA or an SD.  My military son's service dog training was cancelled so now he tags along as an ESA only. But if that dog had to wear a vest or patch or leash declaring it was for PTSD, then any nefarious minded person could take advantage.

While there are no certification programs anywhere in the USA, there are minimal requirements.  The Good Canine Citizen is not required but has a good goal for all service and even esa dogs/animals.  Proper training in commands of sit stay down come quiet/hush and to walk calmly on a lead, not bark or fight with other animals, not jump upon people are all basics. The dog must be under control at all times.

The reason there are no national nor state certification programs is that each service dog needs to be trained to the specific needs of it's owner.  The trainer I used with this dog was different, and while he was certified in service dog training (hahaha just thought about that--they have a course to be certified but the dog doesn't) :  ...anyway...while he was qualified, I still taught the trainer things about training a service dog.  He learned well : and in fact taught his own dog some things I taught him. (This is my 3rd service dog in my life now, so there's little to teach me it's more of a reminder to be consistent and as I age perhaps also to just help me remember and follow through!)

But the basics are a given.

Another reason for no national nor state certifications is that many disabled people are also poor.  To require a certain program would often mean they couldn't have a service dog simply because of money.  While it does help to have a trainer, that costs money.  I didn't need a trainer with this dog, I WANTED the dog to obey another qualified person, to learn to obey...etc. plus it is very taxing physically for a disabled person. But if they have family support, they can train their own service dog to do what it needs to do.  Often the dog only needs to be shown once or twice and has the skill.  The right dog will help it's owner in many ways it learns on it's own because of the love and attachment.  (I'm sure many of you with just pets have something they do just for you that makes you love them more!)

As for those who think it's fun or cute to sneak their pet out and parade as a service dog---not only is that against the law but it really makes it more difficult for someone with a service dog to be allowed basic needs like entrance into a grocery store or restaurant or inside the gas station store.   Imagine being deaf and not being able to verbally "argue" or inform the clerk in the store, having to write everything down to begin with but THEN having to argue why your dog is different and trained and not like the pets people sneak into the store.  That's just one aspect of these people's crime.   It's generally a State crime but most police won't have a clue... another area of training by those of us who can and will when necessary.

Ok. Can you tell I'm passionate about this topic? (Thanks for the thread!)  I still have plenty more 2 cent increments.   Thanks for reading!
Jean

 

[GotSmart]

DrJean;

Speaking of disabilities, I am color blind, and it is almost impossible for me to read the blue lettering you use. 

 

[DrJean]

Sorry to make you share that.   If I bold it does it help?

I need a color so I can find my own posts more easily. :angel:

Until the font coding issue is cleared up... hmmm

maybe a darker blue...can you see this okay?

 

[GotSmart]

Thank you, the darker blue is better.  

Your signature is unique, and can be spotted a mile away.  

On the header for the pages, there is a USER CP.  That will get you to the threads you have posted on that have new posts.   There is also a blue underlined link in the thread list that takes you to the first new posts on a thread... :s   I hope that makes sense.    :idea:

 

[DrJean]

hahahahahahahahahaha  yep I forgot I added the siggy! 

and you must've been reading my mind or you're watching me.... hmmm as I went into my CP to change my settings so I didn't always get the first message ever on each thread, and didn't find it. sigh.  But that the link is there...and I do have it so each thread I enter I get notice...yeah that works.

 

[DannyB1954]

I was expecting the duck to say Aflack, (they usually do you know).

 

[DrJean]

 

[arctic cat]

and for those of you that don't believe or think that denying entrance or service is real,  here are some videos of me of me been denied entrance all of this in Puerto Rico, they are in Spanish but you get the point.  Just so you know I used one of those police personal cams and record all my interactions for my protection

1. Theather I was denied entrance
2. Wendy's I was asked to bring my dog in a caged
3. Supermarket denied entrance

 

[Cammalu]

Is there a way you can call the company where you got your dog from so you can have some kind of papers to show that your dog has been trained as a service dog and what function the dog serves for you?

Maybe it wasn't the dog at all. Maybe they were afraid you would stick chewing gum on the seats?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[DrJean]

Yep.

I had a walmart door watcher insist I put my service dog INTO the front of the go-buggy!   THEIR own rules state that that is NOT to be done.  SO I did to get into the store and then took him out asap.

 

[ArtW]

Buddy was an ESA...for Jeanne. Now she's gone he's just a good ol' dog who's better behaved than most folks' children
The grocery I work in has a sort of 'don't ask' policy regarding service dogs, or just dogs. If the dog is well behaved, he's welcome, period
this prevents overzealous 'hall monitors' from giving folks who need service dogs a hard time

 

[arctic cat]

and for those of you that don't believe or think that denying entrance or service is real,  here are some videos of me of me been denied entrance all of this in Puerto Rico, they are in Spanish but you get the point.  Just so you know I used one of those police personal cams and record all my interactions for my protection

1. Theather I was denied entrance
2. Wendy's I was asked to bring my dog in a caged
3. Supermarket denied entrance