This is the answer I have made for him and anyone else out there who is interested in more information about the ins and outs of obtaining an animal. If anyone else needs something specific please leave me an email at pawearfulllegacys@gmail.com.
Thank you and God Bless you all!
Since I don't know how much information you have already obtained regarding
owning a service dog I will start at the basic beginnings. Please take note of the very important
wording below in the "ADA defines a service animal". This will be helpful to you when you get your
dog. Because of the nature of having a
mental disability ( I speak from experience as I have bi polar and have owned
and trained service dogs for myself over the years that came out of pounds,
rescues, the newspaper etc and were NEVER certified) the people you encounter
on a daily basis shopping , banking, eating out, all see you as
"normal" When a disability
can not be seen by others they make a snap judgement. This is also true because many , many people
do not want a dog in where they are doing business. I have had far too many times where I was
pulled away from grocery shopping or eating at a restaurant and told the dog has
to leave. It is vital to the welfare of
all other people who own a disability dog to stand up to these people. Your dog does NOT have to have any papers,
nor do you have to provide any paperwork on your disability. Likewise, the dog does NOT have to wear a
special collar, tags, vest or any identifying features to tell others it is a
service animal. This is your right! If you were to offer identification then it
would be more likely the next person with a service animal would also have to
give out paperwork. When you enter an
establishment, say nothing. The person
who wishes to know is only allowed to ask you one thing by law, "Is this a
service animal?" All you need to
respond is "Yes" and go along your way. Lets say someone was traveling with their
service animal and had to stop somewhere they had not planned. What a pain it would be to have to go into a
public restroom and before you can use the facilities , have to put a vest on
your dog, grab all the paperwork and then head in. This is just one example of the reason
disabled people need to be allowed this freedom from identification.
Another freedom is that anyone who is qualified can train your dog. Even you.
Likewise, you do not have to have a purebred or even a mutt who will
cost you thousands of dollars to have trained from one of these
facilities. The benefit of getting a dog
already trained is you have the animal set up and ready to go. However, in the case of PTSD, the handler
must train alongside of the dog so that a bond forms. Once you have your dog, you will find there
are many things you wish to teach the dog that will help you in your specific
situation. An example is, lets say you
were worried about entering a dark house, you could train your animal to go in
and search and return to you when all was clear, or come back and sit in front
of there were people inside. This may
not be something that everyone with PTSD has a need for , therefore each dog
would not be trained in such a manor.
Dogs are only limited by your own imagination. The closer relationship you have with your
animal the more they will pick up on subtle things that you are feeling.
Currently, I have a rescued beagle
who is in my foster care. She shows
great signs of being a potential service dog.
An animal has to show you its willingness to be there for you. I have had many dogs over the years as pets,
only a few have been outstanding and made into service animals. If you decide to look for a mutt or in a
rescue organization for a dog and train them yourself let me know and I can
help you via email. Either way, if you
have any dog training questions once you get a dog and wish to further its bond
or train it to do something the training facility did not offer ask, I have
been a dog trainer for the last 25 years and have been very successful with
service dogs.
On to the info I mentioned at the beginning of the ADA rules:
The Law Relating to Service Dogs
It is important to note that to qualify for the protections and allowances
of the Americans with Disabilities Act, both the individual and the canine,
must meet specific criteria. In short, an individual must have a disability and
a service dog must be specifically trained to meet the needs of that
disability. To be protected by the
ADA, one must have a disability or have a relationship or association with an
individual with a disability. An individual with a disability is defined by the
ADA as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially
limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record
of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an
impairment. The ADA does not specifically name all of the impairments that are
covered. (Department of Justice, 2002).
The ADA defines a service animal as any guide dog, signal dog, or other
animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a
disability. If they meet this definition, animals are considered service
animals under the ADA regardless of whether they have been licensed or
certified by a state or local government. (Department of Justice, 1996).
The Role of Service Dogs
Joan Froling, a trainer and consultant with Sterling Service Dogs, provides
a detailed list of tasks for which service dogs are trained to assist those
with psychiatric disabilities. A few of the overall tasks include
Assistance in a Medical Crisis –
Service dogs are trained to retrieve medications, beverages and telephones.
They can bark for help, answer a door bell, and even dial 911 on special K9
speaker telephones.
Treatment Related Assistance –
These special animals can be trained to deliver messages, remind individuals to
take medications as specific times, assist with walking as well as alerting
sedated individuals to doorbells, phones or smoke detectors.
Assistance Coping With Emotional
Overload – Service dogs can be taught to prevent others from crowding their
owner. They can be taught to recognize a panic attack and nuzzle a distraught
owner to help with calming.
Security Enhancement Tasks –
These canines are often trained to check the house for intruders. They can turn
on lights and open doors. They can assist with leaving a premises during an
emergency.
Legal Rights of Service Animal Owners
If you’re someone who has a service animal and you have been turned away at
a public place, you have certain rights under the Americans with Disabilities
Act. An individual who is using a service animal has the same rights as a
non-disabled individual. The ADA supersedes any local or state law prohibiting
service animals in any place that is open to the public.
Service Animal Registry
Having a service animal registered is not required by law. However, there
are several service animal registries that will provide owners with a photo ID
of the handler and a photo ID of the service animal. These identification cards
seem to help stop discriminatory practices of businesses and transportation
services.
(Here I will note that in my car I always carried a copy of shot records,
up to date as well as on my person I created on my own computer a photo
ID. One for me similar to a drivers license with not as much information.
And one with a picture of the dog then stating it was a service animal
and what type of disability I had.
These would only be used in the case of a police officer stopping me on
the highway or in a business. To save
the hassle I would present the cards and they would back off. I did have a run in with the local WalMart
here. I merely told the store manager
what the current fine plus court costs was going to average and mentioned I was
going to send a letter to the local paper telling everyone they were turning me
away and the next time I went there was a big sign on the door "Service
animals welcome". )
Here is the link to getting yourself a kit to carry with you. http://usdogregistry.org/ If you fly or go on a train these might
look more professional and save you some time and hassle. You can also get a service dog vest for your
animal at : http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=service+dog+vests&tag=mh0b-20&index=aps&hvadid=3482491469&ref=pd_sl_8f2sp4whqn_b ( I have ordered several from this company
and what you see is what you get, a good
vest. Usually I have asked for a patch
or sewing somewhere on the vest which says service dog. Then in larger letter, "Do Not Pet"
on both side panels. )
Filing a Discrimination Complaint
If you’ve been discriminated against because of your service animal, you
have a legitimate legal complaint. Discrimination complaints that occurred
during air travel can be submitted to:
Aviation Consumer Protection
Division
Attn: C-75-D
U.S. Department of Transportation
400 7th Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590
Email: airconsumer@ost.dot.gov
Discrimination complaints that have occurred in a public area or business
should be directed to the following:
Legal Aid Society
U.S. Department of Justice
Division of Civil Rights
Bar Association
International Association of
Assistance Dog Partners
If you go with a pre-trained service dog, they place will usually require
you to give medical information to show your disability. Some will offer a trained animal, others will
ask you to be part of the training.
Either way there should be a time where you go to the facility and spend
several days , 24 hours a day , with the dog for you. This will show you how you get along and does
the dog want to be with you as much as you want the dog. Remember this dog will go everywhere with
you. If you are a high energy person,
likes to run, get out, go places, a dog who is quiet and low energy might not
be for you. Conversely, if you prefer to
hang out at home and watch tv, the dog should be low energy. If you do not make the correct match when you
go, often they may offer a trade, but then you would be on a waiting list and
still have the dog who does not match your needs. You have to be the one to live with this
animal for the rest of its life, so think carefully about how much this breed
will shed, can you easily bathe and dry it, does it need to go to a groomer
every few weeks which will be extra money, etc. If you are looking into a purebred from a
training program. Spend some time
researching the net on what that breed was trained to do. Example, a doberman, originally bred to be
with a person carrying money, and protect them, highly intelligent,easy care
coat, good couch potato as long as it gets walked twice a day. A border collie or shepherd,bred to herd
animals, tons of shedding, both very intelligent, but have a high energy and
drive, hard for them to sit still. Both will
create their own "jobs" if you do not keep them mentally stimulated
all the time.
I have had two lab mixes, one half beagle/cocker mix, and two dobermans as
my own personal service dogs. I trained
all of them with some help of a professional trainer to guide me. All lived long lives, were very successful,
and died of old age diseases. I loved
them all but I must say the doberman granted me (being a woman) an extra
security as the animal looks imposing and carries a stigma of being
fierce. (The tail was docked and ears
were cropped to further that look). They
were the fastest to learn and the most intelligent and willing to please of all
the others I have had.
This link is for an all breed training facility: http://goldstar-germanshepherds.com/obtainingservicedog%20.html
This is a link to Delta Society that is a application form, well known all
over , might look in your state for a close one. http://www.midsouththerapydogs.org/MSTD%20Mastercopy%20Workshop.pdf
If I find more links on places to contact I will send them as well. But this should give you a start.
Sincerely and God Bless
