Justice for Service Dogs

Many people with disabilities rely on service dogs for support in public places. Some disabilities might be more visible than others, but many times service animals are used for conditions where one cannot "see" that the individual has that need. For instance, someone with a seizure disorder may rely on a service dog to alert him to pre-seizure cues or a diabetic may have a service animal to alert her to dropping glucose levels.

It is important to understand the difference between a service animal and an emotional support dog, however. Public establishments allow service dogs, who aid in physical disabilities (and some emotional ones), but emotional support animals are not allowed in public establishments. Emotional support animals can be ANY animal that a doctor writes a letter to certify must live with someone, travel with someone, etc. but does not qualify the animal for inclusion in public spaces. Service animals go through a very intense training, and they are not pets. Their purpose is to perform a job for their disabled person.

Because service animals do not need to have papers or any sort of registration, some people have been abusing the system, bringing their pets into public places and claiming they are service animals. And, unfortunately, this practice is making it difficult for disabled individuals, as public establishments are sometimes needing to stop and question them, which is technically against the law. It's a rock and a hard place issue, and some states are considering legislature to crack down on those who are abusing the system to make it easier for businesses and people who truly have service animals to get the service they deserve. The states considering this legislature are Arizona, Hawaii, Maine, New York, Virginia, and Puerto Rico so far, but more may follow suit. For more information on the issue, please see this article.

We at whiskerDocs understand loving your pet so much that you want to bring them everywhere, but also encourage everyone to recognize that lying about a pet being a service animal jeopardizes the welfare of those who truly need them!