Service Dog??
 

What is considered a service dog? What are some reasons/issues in which you can have a service dog?

Service dog - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A dog that provides a service ..medical alert like a seizure or diabetes dog.

I'm glad you asked this. I've always wondered if you take your dog to hospitals or nursing homes, does that qualify for a service dog??

I know a dog who does that, and the owner calls her a service dog even though she is not in any special program. You can order the little vests for them that look just like the service dog vests.

Good question.... anyone???

I was under the impression that service dogs are dogs that provide assistance to those with disabilities or medical issues. Such as dogs that provide assistance for the blind, etc...

The ADA defines a Service Animal 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. A service animal is not a pet

I got this from a website that sells service dog vests. They consider a service dog a dog that helps with physical or mental disability.

I would also like to point out that a service dog can provide service to people who suffer from anxiety issues or other psychological issues. Just because you can't see the disability, doens't mean it isn't there.

I have horrible anxiety issues and have thought about getting Lilly certified to be my service dog but I don't know how well that would go over.

I'm not sure what you are asking here.

It is always best to find a licensed trainer to work with and to certify your dog as a service dog.

Oh, sorry, I wasn't asking anything.

Thanks!

True "service dogs" go through extensive training targeted for people with specific disabilities. Therapy dogs are trained (less extensive) to go into hospitals, nursing homes, etc. The linked sites explain the differences and the training.

Service Dogs


Therapy Dogs Inc.

I don't think that is a fair statement. a "true" service dog doesn't necessarily have to go through extensive training to be an aid to its owner.Also Canada lacks a main certifying centre, I have looked.

Yes, you are correct!!!

The individual has an established disability. And can train a dog themselves as a service animal... What I mean as "established" is that the person is on disabilty, or has doctors letters stating they are disabled. Not just anyone can have a service animal.
the animal vests are good to have on a service animal because it tells others that the dog is working, and is allowed in establishments. Many sites require proof that the person is actually disabled before they can certify a service dog.
After the dog is certified the animal is able to go everywhere with it's owner.

Question of the Night
 

If you were to go to the Doctor and ask for papers indicating you wanted your dog to be your service dog, what is involved~? I am not asking for me, honest~! Would there be a special fee involved~? Would the Doctor not approve it if your not blind, have anxiety, or whatever health issues indicate that you need your dog for that comfort~?

My guess is there would be a fee- but probably whatever fee your doctor charges for a "doctors note", however, this should probably be typed up and not written by hand as we know how doctor's writing can be :)

Service dogs do not have to be only for the blind or physically disabled. many people use service dogs because they suffer from anxiety, depression, claustrophobia. I suppose if you feel your dog is providing a service for you by being with you- it is a valid reason. You need to explain to your doctor what your dog is providing you- however a doctors note is not required many places- and even if you had one you are not required to produce it. Airlines for example- the law says that even verbal validation that your dog is providing you a service is enough and they are not allowed to ask further- however I've heard they can be very rude when dealing with service animals. If your dog has a service vest or tag- public establishments may not ask for further proof or ask what service your dog is providing- assuming your dog is not of any harm to anyone.

Hope this helped.

I was actually going to ask about this as well. I wanted to travel with Mexicana and I just spent the last 40 minutes doing an online chat with someone who just copied and pasted what was on their website. I told the lady that I had a dog that was a service dog that provided some help to me, but was not a guide dog for the blind, and that I wanted to fly with her in the summer. I asked the lady what type of paper work I would need and she asked me again, if she was a guide dog and when I told her no, she just copied and pasted the fare for transporting regular pets. Ughhh!!!! Mexican is so horrible. They have to allow therapy dogs as well, even if they aren't guide dogs, correct? As long as I just provide a doctor's note? I wanted to know if it was a different procedure since I would be traveling from Mexico to the States. The people on the Mexicana are not helpful at all!

Thanks for the info. I manage some apartments and the rules with dogs are 15 lbs and under. She has a Golden Retrevier. I told her the only way she could have him there is if her Doctor would authorize her for whatever health issue she may have. But when I told the boss that, he wasn't too happy with the whole situation since we had issues with a large dog in the past and had to have rules of dogs sizes. I went to a training class and that is what they said, "if someone has a disability you can't deny them". Any other suggestions are appreciated.

there is a law out there that makes it so the people with disabilities cannot be denied if they have a service animal... albeit a store, or airline or even apartments whatever... they cannot deny a person that has a service animal if they have the right documents for having the service animal... ;) for me I had my therapist type up a letter... and she stated that I needed my Gracie for emotional support reasons... and that she was a key role in my recovery. there is no where that says that the service animal has to be a dog or a weight restriction... I would think that your friends golden retriever would be ok albeit she has the right documentation... if you have any other questions that I might be able to help you with dont hesitate to ask!;)

Thanks for the reply. She is not my friend. She was an older working woman whom liked the apartment. I was only asking. Then again, she has not been screened yet. I gave her that idea thinking that "she needed him" from how she talked.

Wouldn't that be considered a 'therapy dog,' not a service dog? :confused:

I think a lot of times the two are confused, but there is a difference based on the types of "jobs" they perform. I think that laws only [officially] protect the rights of those with service animals, but not neccessarily therapy animals...

not nesessarily. If someone cannot access a public facility due to anxiety and the service dogs allows them to do so- then they are providing a service- which is what guide dogs do as well- they allow an otherwise capable person to access somewhere they would otherwise be unable to.

Hmmm...I always thought it was limited to dogs trained provided a service for someone with a disability. I never realized that 'anxiety' was classified as a disability....:confused: I guess maybe if the Dept of Justice recognizes the cases as a disability on a case by case basis...

Businesses ARE allowed (legally) to ask what specific tasks the animal is trained to perform, BTW.

well if you suffered from it then you might see just how disabling it is. Either way- as long as the dog is well behaved and no one is taking advantage of anyone or anything then I don't see why it would be a problem or concern anyone.

Many website that sell service dog 'gear" recognize mental and psychological disabilities.

I did a Yahoo Search on service dogs and came to this site: service-dog.org . Provided is a state-by-state listing of laws regarding service dogs. If you are interested, you will have to scroll down the menu bar on the left side of the page - go to State Laws - and from ther pick your state.

The Georgia law has a very specific definition for a Service/Assistance dog. If I am reading the Ga Code correctly, an assistance dog is defined as follows:

(a) As used in this Code section, the term:

(1) "Assistance dog" means a dog that is or has been trained by a licensed or certified person, organization, or agency to perform physical tasks for a physically challenged person. Assistance dogs include guide or leader dogs that guide individuals who are legally blind; hearing dogs that alert individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to specific sounds; and service dogs for individuals with disabilities other than blindness or deafness, which are trained to perform a variety of physical tasks, including, but not limited to, pulling a wheelchair, lending balance support, picking up dropped objects, or providing assistance in a medical crisis.

I could not find anything in our code that discusses dogs that provide services for "mental disabilities". I am sure that there are provisions, I just can't find them. Hope this helps.

Someone mentioned at the beginning of the thread and quoted the ADA but I think it needs to be clarified a bit further.

A dog is legally considered a service dog if it provides any form of medical assistance to the owner. These services can be, but are not limited to, guide-dogs, hearing dogs, dogs that provide assistance to a disabled individual (ie. picking things up, carrying items), dogs that detect oncoming seizures or low blood sugar or provide any degree of emotional support. Service dogs do not need to be formally certified and businesses cannot deny access to any individual with a service dog. Businesses can ask what services the dog provides but the handler is legally not required to disclose the nature of their medical conditions. There really isnt an "audit" perse, of this process but if an individual is caught lying than they can be prosecuted for fraud by the ADA.

A therapy dog is a totally different. A therapy dog is required to be certified through a formal organization for insurance purposes (the industry standard is $1m in insurance). For some organizations the test is as simple as the CGC with medical equipment, other organizations have much more rigorous testing. A therapy dog usually falls into 2 different categories: emotional therapy and physical therapy. The emotional therapy is intended for other individuals such as patients in hospitals or children in special-needs programs. Physical therapy is an additional tier of certification where the dog is actually used in the physical therapy plan for certain individuals who have had loss of mobility from strokes/MS/or accidents. Therapy dogs are not considered service dogs and the certifying organization usually has a clause in their contract that any handler is caught posing their dog as as a service dog that their certification can be revoked.

Wheewh that was a novel! Hope this clears things up! :)

Just trying to help out. :)

you know- the more I am reading it seems to differ by state. I have been looking into it for my aunt and it sure doesnt' help that Canadian rules are different :p

After reading the Georgia code, I can't believe that there isn't more. I guess if you wanted "real answers" you would need to talk to an attorney in the state, province, etc. that is going to be the primary home for the dog. Good luck to you in finding the type of help that your dear Auntie needs.

Thanks cindy. I think she will just keep doing what she is doing- bring her dog with her- she has yet to be questioned and her dog is really well behaved- it has really changed her life :)

Thanks Cindy and Bravo....that was the line of info I was looking for and confirms what I suspected..:thumbup:

Thanks for the info, but when I tried to click on a certain portions of the state laws it goes into a program that is blocked (PDF/Adobe). I don't know how to unblock it and have tried. But this woman hasn't filled out the paperwork to be screened anyways, as well as knit-picking on stuff. I am not too worried about it.