by Sussie Due on May 11, 2011
Yesterday I received yet another call from someone distraught. It was over the fact that they had sent money in to a Service Dog registry and received nothing in return. I really feel sorry for people that get “roped” into that situation. I am also angered by the so called “registries” that dupe people of their money like that.
ADA does not require a Service Dog to be registered. ADA does not require that a dog be trained by a professional. ADA’s only requirement is that the dog is well behaved in public, be identified in some way (either by vest or tags) that it is a Service Dog, and be on a leash unless the service that the animal performs requires it to be off leash.
Other things to keep in mind.
ADA rules override all state and local laws (In other words, if a city passed a rule stating that no animals were allowed in a certain area. ADA laws override that for service dogs). Business owners cannot post a sign stating “Guide Dogs Only”. Though it is not illegal for them to have the sign, they must allow ALL Service Dogs entry into their establishment.
Places open to the public (were anyone can just walk in or pay an entrance fee and walk in) cannot ask you what the Service Dog is for. However they can ask if it’s a Service Dog. Private places that are not open to the public or require a membership to enter, can ask you what duties the dog performs for you, but cannot stop you from entering. (The only exception to the rule is Costco, as they were giving special permission by the Courts as to whether they will allow you to enter their store with your Service Dog no matter what type of Service Dog it is, this was stated to me by a Costco rep. This is happened due to the case of Susan Grill vs. Costco in 2004).
Sussie and Gunny
http://thegunnyfund.chipin.com/the-gunny-fund
by Sussie Due on April 22, 2011
As Customer Service (email, live chat, phone) for Service Dog Tags, I am finding more and more that people are not aware of the recent new rules about Service Dogs. Many, what was once considered Emotional Support dogs, now fall into the category of Service Dogs. However, many animals that were once considered Service Animals are not considered that anymore. They are still working on reclassifying the monkeys though. They are used quite a bit by Quadriplegics.
These new rules went into effect on March 15th, 2011.
http://www.servicedogcentral.org/content/node/297
In my own personal opinion, I believe the reason for some of these ruling changed are due to the following.
#1 The recent problems that people with PTSD have faced with getting people to accept their PTSD Dog as a Service Dog.
#2 People were abusing the “owner has the right to train their own service animal” rule and calling anything a Service Animal…even reptiles.
Sussie and Gunny
by Sussie Due on April 19, 2011
I realize this is an old article. But it brings a question to my mind. How many of you have been asked to leave a business because of your Service Animal? Twice I have, but I raised such a stink that they allowed me to stay.
http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0510/736087.html
There is also a video on it…
http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0510/736087_video.html?ref=newsstory
I find it interesting that the manager said they were rude. Rude for standing up for their rights? I wonder how many times the manager, as a minority, has had to stand up for his rights?
On a side note to this. I honestly think they should have gone after the restaurant. No. I’m not a “sue happy” person. But I also realize that things seem to hit home with a business after they have been hit in the pocket book.
Sussie and Gunny
by Sussie Due on April 6, 2011
I found this interesting bit of information while reading the news this morning.
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2011/03/military-veterans-service-dogs-031811w/”
Which leads me to a question. What VA facilities were not allowing SD in? My husband, a retired Marine, is 100% service connected and under full VA care. Not once have they ever denied me from taking Gunny, or Jorgen’s Service Dog “Rainy”, into the hospital or the clinic. As a matter of fact, they love it when both show up!
Are there any Veterans here? And have you ever had problems with the VA and your Service Dog?
Sussie and Gunny
by Spot on October 2, 2009
A state employee with a walking impairment had a specially trained dog that assisted her in getting around the workplace. The slick linoleum flooring in her office, however, caused her dog to slip and fall. The employee tried to use dog booties, but that resulted in paw infections. So she requested that the employer accommodate by installing non-skid floor coverings for areas she needed to traverse. The employer sat on the request for several months, with no action or response. In the meantime, the dog fell several more times, requiring veterinary treatment, and the agency that provided the service animal to the employee decided to withdraw the dog because of safety conditions.
In McDonald v. Mont. Dept. of Environmental Quality, the employee sued her employer for failure to engage in the interactive process and to accommodate under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Montana Human Rights Act (MHRA). The employer defended the case by claiming that the ADA and MHRA require the accommodation of people with disabilities but do not require accommodation of a service animal. The court disagreed.
The service dog, in this case, is no different than any other mobility device such as a wheelchair. Allowing an employee to bring a wheelchair into the building but failing to provide internal ramps for its use, for example, would nullify the accommodation. The ADA (28 C.F.R. ยง36.304) specifically mentions modifying floor surfaces for wheelchairs as part of the accommodation requirements, and there should be no difference for other types of mobility aids, such as a service animal. The court found that failure to consider and implement the floor coverings was a failure to accommodate the employee, not the mobility device. The award: $30,000, plus attorneys’ fees. (Half of the damage award was for vet bills and replacement of the original service animal, which had to be retired because of the repeated injuries.) In addition, the employer had to spend significant legal fees and costs to defend the case; the non-skid floor covering would have cost $1,500 (Montana Sup. Ct., 2009).
by Spot on September 3, 2009
by Spot on August 28, 2009
Under doctor’s orders Martha Hyatt is allowed to have a service dog. Jackie, a yellow lab, wears a special vest and a tattoo to prove it. “I have a mental disorder. I’m bipolar and I’m very prone to panic attacks,” Mrs. Hyatt explained. “She goes everywhere with me. She’s allowed in hotels, motels. She’s allowed in all restaurants.”
Go here to read the rest:
Woman’s service dog kept out of funer… – Live 5 News
by Spot on August 21, 2009
A recent article in the Statesman Journal suggest that all service animals should be licensed by the state and properly identified much like handicapped parking tags are issued. Read the article below and then come back here and make your voice heard by posting a comment below.
State should license dogs that assist… – Statesman Journal
Should your service animal have to be licensed??? Comment now
