By Fran Jewell
I was at the airport picking up a friend and there was a tiny little white dog, all decked out with multicolored ribbons in her ears, and a pink vest on that said, “Service Dog.” I admit I was impressed with how quiet she was. However, she was at the end of her 6-foot leash in the aisle. Her handler/owner was on her phone, but at least her hand was on the leash. My thought was, “What if I had a vision issue and did not see her pretty pink leash stretched out across the aisle or this tiny dog and I fell?”
Really, who am I to judge this dog as to whether or not this dog was a “service dog”? We simply cannot judge someone’s disability. Many disabilities are hidden. However, after training service dogs for 20-plus years, I do know appropriate service dog behaviors and tasks. When I train a service dog, I also train the owner about responsible and protective handling skills. What I can tell you what a service dog is NOT:
If you do NOT have a recognized disability, your dog IS NOT ABLE TO BE YOUR SERVICE DOG. A service dog is specially trained directly to assist with SOMONE’S DISABILITY.
It is not a dog that is someone’s pet, regardless of size, just because the person adores their dog and wants to take it with them everywhere.
It is not a dog where the owner bought a vest and a “certification” online saying the dog is a service dog.
It is not a dog who supports someone’s emotions. Emotional Support Dogs or Therapy Dogs (even certified Pet Therapy Dogs) are NOT service dogs or afforded the right of public access.
It is not a dog that begs for attention from passersby. It is not a dog that barks at other dogs, pulls its handler down the hall or walk. It is NOT a dog that creates any kind of disturbance in public. This is considered a dog “out of control.” The handler does not allow the dog off leash (unless to pick up something it is trained to do) or the dog is on an extended flexi-leash.
It is not a dog that has been trained as a personal protection dog even though this dog might be well trained. Protection is not related to a disability.
There is NO official ADA Service Dog Registry that gives your dog the right to public access.
It is NOT legal to ask someone what their disability is or demand “papers” or a certification for a service dog.
We ALL need to read the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act, to understand
I will quote the ADA:
“Service animals are:
• Dogs
• Any breed and any size of dog
• Trained to perform a task directly related to a person’s
disability
Service animals are not:
• Required to be certified or go through a professional training
program
• Required to wear a vest or other ID that indicates they are a service dog (although, personally, I do just to help stop confusion about my diabetes as a disability)
• Emotional support or comfort dogs, because providing emotional support or comfort is not a task related to a person’s disability
Generally, service animals are allowed to be with their
person, even in places that don’t allow pets. For example,
service dogs can go into:
• Restaurants
• Shops
• Hospitals
• Schools
• Hotels
EXAMPLE: A restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating. A woman arrives at the restaurant with her service dog and asks to sit inside. The restaurant cannot require the woman to dine outside because of her service dog.
You may ask:
Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
You are not allowed to:
Request any documentation that the dog is registered,
licensed, or certified as a service animal
Require that the dog demonstrate its task, or inquire about
the nature of the person’s disability
Because service animals are not required to wear vests, a dog that is wearing a vest is not necessarily a service animal. The dog still needs to be trained to perform a task for a person with a disability to be a service animal.”\
The ADA in its entirety is very easy to find. Please understand that when you handle a service dog YOU are responsible for any acts your dog does with regard to biting or other harmful behaviors. If you are faking your dog as a service dog and a dangerous or harmful situation arises, this can put you in a very serious legal situation. As someone with a disability and a trained service dog, my dog is insured for liability. Is yours?
Fran Jewell is a dog behavior consultant, NADOI-certified instructor and vice president. She owns Positive Puppy Dog Training LLC and can be reached at (208) 721-7221.
