It can become very confusing to decipher the laws surrounding the use of service dogs. There are service dogs, therapy dogs, companion dogs, emotional and psychiatric dogs and the list goes on. In my time of working with dogs I have not seen an influx of people who pretend to have a service animal when they do not. However, there is written evidence to support this occurrence. The government provides a set standard that must be followed when stating a dog is a service animal.
The Americans With Disability Act, ADA, sates : a service animal is one that is trained specifically to perform tasks on behalf of a disabled individual, further defining a disability as: “A mental or physical condition which substantially limits a major
life activity such as caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks,
walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working.” However, the ADA
neither legally requires service animals to be certified nor has a
certification standard. Protected under federal law, the dogs are allowed to accompany their handler into all environments.
It is a seldom stated fact, that a dog can be trained by the handler. This allows a person with a disability is able to obtain a dog from many sources, including shelters, pounds, newspapers, etc. Once a suitable animal has been found, it can be trained at home, or by a professional, for ones specific disability. Some people may fancy themselves a trainer of service dogs but the truth is, one has to be dedicated to the process for the entire lifetime of the dog. Before a canine is suitable to be even a therapy dog (as pictured above which goes to comfort the sick and elderly), it has to go through many levels of proofing.
Proofing an animal is exposing it to a huge variety of situations, people, animals, and other things a service dog might encounter while accompanying their handler. The dog must be of stable temperament, exposed to loud noises, sudden movement, all types of attire which people wear, all types of animals, and show no aggressive tendencies to anything. A dog who spooks or snaps will not even begin to fit the bill.
Psychiatric service animals are the least known. More often one will encounter a seeing eye or hearing dog and recognize the animal is working. Our vets who have P.T.S.D. (sometimes refereed to as walking wounded) are starting to obtain dogs which do fall under the federal guidelines provided a service dog. When a dog has been trained to alert an owner to potential seizes, bracing the unstable medicated owner, signaling panic attacks, and even rousing heavily medicated handlers to take their medications they fall under the federal guidelines stated above.
It is greatly upsetting to a disabled person to be met by tons of questions as to the use of their service animal. It is rude to even ask. When a handler enters a property (store, restaurant, shop) where dogs are not allowed, the only thing that is allowed to be asked is "Is this a service dog?".
Period.
The dog does not have to wear a special vest, the owner is not required to carry identification or papers proving anything about the status of the animal in question. There are hefty fines involved in harassing and not allowing entrance of a service dog to a facility.
Some people are merely uninformed. It is never proper to pet, or ask to pet a working service animal. The dog is supposed to be focused entirely upon its handler. To pet them distracts from the task at hand.
Generally, when a dog is in an environment which does not allow them, leashed, behaving properly, and aware of its handler, it would be wise to assume this dog is working in a service capacity. Service dogs go through their entire life evolving training skills. There may be a time one will encounter a "service dog trainee" and it should be afforded the same respect as a fully trained animal. To do less would be detrimental to the dog and the would be owner.
© PawEarFull Legacys
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Hello fellow animal lovers. I welcome comments and questions. Thank you in advance.