I sure hope that none of you do this.
The most important piece of information you need to know about therapy dogs is what they are not. Therapy dogs are not service or "assistance" dogs.
Service Animal means any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability.
Therapy dogs, on the other hand, perform their tasks by invitation.
--- They are invited and go to hospitals, nursing homes, etc. to perform their wonderful work as therapy dogs. And, they are often invited to schools to educate young people about the work that they do.
Hospitals and some nursing homes require a lot of paperwork before a therapy dog sets foot in their facility-- and this same facility will allow any person with a disability to enter with his or her service dog.
If you are able bodied and don't have a disability -- you are not allowed to take your dog (even a therapy dog) anywhere that other people's dogs aren't allowed.
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If you have a therapy dog - and have found that people will let you take it into public places -- it's only because they don't really understand the difference. They may let you and your dog in - not knowing they shouldn't, but if you aren't handicapped - your dog shouldn't be there.
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I sure hope people don't take advantage of the wonderful work that service dogs and therapy dogs do --- to find a way to get their pets into places where they aren't allowed. This is not being a responsible pet owner - and it's certainly is not being a responsible or honest person.
We have had people here on YT with disabilities who use service dogs that have said people's falsifying what their dogs are only makes it more difficult for the handicapped people who really need them.
Hopefully - none of us will stoop this low.
Carol Jean |