Comments on: New Service Animal Law!!! What Do You Think?

By: Robin B

Robin B — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:27:52 +0000

yeah, I only know of one person that has two..one is her guide dog..the other is her small medical alert dog. Two dobies…she’s a faker, you can have her removed under the law…I find it very hard to believe a faker will sue, because they will have to prove that both dogs are service dogs and that is not an easy thing for a faker to do.

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:14:17 +0000

the problem is those who ABUSE the system ! I bet for every one who is legit. there are 24 abusers. I had a women on my bus with 2 dobies. “These are my service animals” yeah right ! Unfortunatly the ABUSERS make it hard on the rest of the world…….. the rules as far as I can see are very vague………..

By: Robin B

Robin B — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:07:17 +0000

To Connie
And I forgot to tell you there may be times when a person will bring in a puppy in training for a guide dog or service dog some states allow service dogs in training access just like service dogs.. others only allow service dogs in training from a program, check out the laws in your state..California allows service dogs in training for owner trainers and well has programs. if the pup makes a mistake and goes to the bathroom the trainer should have the cleaning supplies with them and clean up, this could happen with a pup..sometimes..:)

By: Robin B

Robin B — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:02:47 +0000

To Connie,
A therapy dog does not have the same access rights under the ADA law as a service dog. If the boy is there for a program that the library has using therapy dogs then that is fine..they use therapy dogs to visit sick people in hospitals and for reading programs at schools and library. They are not service dogs. However if he is just bringing the dog in with no reason then, no he can not.
As for the person saying that he never leaves his dog at home…well as of March 2011 comfort animals and emotional support animals are no longer covered under the law…due to the fact that people would bring all types of animals with them, pets are pets. This was causing problems with biting and pooping etc…so the law was redefined only dogs are used for service work with the exception of miniature horses used as guides for the blind..which I don’t think you would see to many of those
you have the right under the law to remove any dog that is not a Service dog and by law you have the right to ask what task the dog does for the disabled owner but you cannot ask what their disability is. A person with a real service dog should know the rules/law and be fine with those questions…I am….hope this helps, you can get more info from the ADA

By: C-A

C-A — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:25:27 +0000

I have an ESD / Service dog who is a Recued Chihuahua. He is well behaved, potty trained (will go on command before entering any building or home) Goes to the YMCA with me and makes sure I do not overdo anything. You see, I have SEVERAL medical issues going on, my dog was never trained by any professional, and the only ting I trained him to do is to sit and potty on command. He has continualy alerted me to whenever I am about to have a TIA, or if I am about to have an axienty attack from having too many people around me, when my breathing changes and I need to use my Inhaler, when someone is coming up on my left side ( I am blind and deaf on that side) Or even if my blood sugar is getting too low. I say again, he was never trained to do any of these, but he has picked them up just by watching my retired service dog ( a 2 pound chihuahua, going blind, so retired but will live wth me for the rest of his natural life!!)
My phyciatrist and doctor both agree I need an esd / serivce dog due to my medical issues., So, with everything my 6 pound rescued chihuahua does for me, is he not a esd/service dog? I believe he is as he has saved my life many times. He even sleeps on the bed with me, wakes me up when my breathing stops and brings me my inhaler if I need it. So what kind of dog is he? Pet, ESD, Service, what is he?
Pissed off that most people think that only labs can be of service to help people!!! I can’t have a big dog due to other issues I won’t divulge, so a small dog is my only option, and may be other’s option as well. So why critize people for big, medium or small dogs. Not all service animals are labs!

By: Connie

Connie — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:55:04 +0000

My question is, as a librarian, how do I know if this animal is really a service dog? I have no problem with service animals, in fact I know they are a genuine asset to those who need it. But what about the boy who says his dog is a therapy dog, but he has a different dog every time he comes in? Last time it was a puppy so young it could not have been potty trained let alone service trained. Yet he insists it is a therapy dog. Then there is the elderly man who says, “Of course it’s a service dog. He’s my best friend and I don’t go anywhere without him.” Does that qualify as a service or therapy animal? How do we ask a disabled person without offending? It would certainly help us if service animals wore a vest or tag of some sort. We have two small children, who frequent the library, who are extremely afraid of dogs. What about them? Don’t they have rights as well? HELP.

By: dog harnesses

dog harnesses — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 03:07:03 +0000

When you’re contemplating a choke chain collar there are a number of collars to choose from.

By: Diane

Diane — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 08:33:51 +0000

This is ludicris, I have a Pig Tailed Macaque monkey that is my companion for high anxiety and panic attacks. I live in Jakarta Indonesia and in less than 25 days wil be relocating back to Texas. I have been told by Center for Disease Control that under these circumstances I cannot bring my Monkey with me. I rescued this Monkey at 1 week age and hand raised it as a companion, has all vaccines and has been cleared for any contagious disease. To make things worse I have written permission from the Indonesian government to take the monkey with me to Texas. I am so stressed over what to do, I may be placed back on medications that have a serious suicide side affect. I guess the USA would rather we all be drug addicts than have a companion animal other than a dog or cat.

By: PuPPyLoVeNs

PuPPyLoVeNs — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 21:25:36 +0000

I have a High anxiety, panic attacks, and drepression when i’m around people and even in my own home… but when I have my best friend (my little Chihuahua) with me where ever I go I feel a lot less stressed, and a lot more confidence out side my home and with people in strange places!!!!

By: Lucina

Lucina — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 06:40:27 +0000

I have a service dog, she is a Lhasa Apso / Maltese mix. She is a petite dog (13lbs) and she is adorable which is why people and children want to pet her. My dog is trained to stay focus on me; when people ask to pet her I cannot find it in my heart to say no, especially when they are children but I let them know she is trained to be aloof (which she is) and make the visit brief; this is pleasing enough for both sides.

Very often I’ve had people ask me what my disability is. I am astonished by the blunt question but have no problem letting them know I am asthmatic and she is able to detect an attack before I experience the warning signals. Further, she’ll fetch my inhaler and in a serious situation she’ll bark continually until help arrives. Otherwise she does not bark.

On a non-stop trip to Europe she sat under my feet the entire time without moving unless told–by me. When I am sick, she will not leave my side. She won’t eat and my husband has to carry her out to do her business–I don’t know how she does it but she holds it in. Everything I eat or put on my skin she smells. If she detects an ingredient I am allergic to, she pushes it out of the way; if she approves she leeks my hand or my face.

Generally speaking I never have a problem taking her everywhere I go but there has been the occasional restaurant that politely oppose her presence not because they have a problem but because there are people that complain and believe the only service dog allowed should be one for the blind.

It would be good for these people to know that my dog is probably cleaner than many humans. She will not pick up anything off the floor including food from her plate she might have accidentally spilled. She cannot be bribed, either. She will not go to the bathroom unless it is grass or indoor emergency grass. She does not leek herself–perhaps because she is cleaned daily like a toddler. She even gets her teeth brushed every night before bedtime!

It is unfortunate that there are impostors that make it difficult for the rest of us. I can’t blame the place of business entirely i.e.., restaurants, airlines, etc. and for this reason I think it is necessary to impose some type of regulation in which certification of training is necessary.

If the owner trains the the dog which should be allowed for those that cannot afford a professional there most be a way to prove the dog is properly trained. I am of the idea to register your service dog but the cost should be affordable. This should not be a venture to get the government or individuals rich off of the disable, the idea should be ONLY to regulate the abuse.

Those of us that have a real service dog will suffer greatly if not allowed to take our dog with us everywhere we go. As someone mentioned on this blog, it will prevent us to freely go about our business because we depend on our service dog. In some cases it is a matter of life or death. There were times when I’d end up in a emergency room after a nice restaurant dinner, although I was specific defining what I could not have. I am not blaming the restaurant, this is just a fact I’ve had to deal with most of my adult life.

And, YES! There shoul be a law against businesses on the internet selling certification for $250.00.