# Fake Service Dog Investigative Report



## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Saw this report today and thought I'd share. It's one of my pet peeves that some people try to fraudulently claim their dogs are service dogs. This report shows how it makes it harder for those who truly need and have real service dogs. Having a temporary handicap now, makes me so much more sympathetic to those who face these challenges daily.
Frustrated by Fake Service Dogs | NBC Bay Area


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

That is shocking. Memememememememememe.


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## wkomorow (Aug 26, 2011)

It is unfortunate, and there are so many sources that will provide fake documentation. It makes it difficult for people with real service dogs. The real problem is not well behaved dogs. Service dogs are trained to be well behaved in a variety of social situations, including in restaurants and stores. The problem is that if dogs were generally allowed in establishments you would have too many badly behaving dogs, which could pose a liability issue for the stores.


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## maltese manica (Nov 6, 2012)

Its always the same story......... the bad guys making it hard for the good people!!! So sad......................... :-(


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## Yogi's Mom (Jan 6, 2013)

maltese manica said:


> Its always the same story......... the bad guys making it hard for the good people!!! So sad......................... :-(


 
*Good One Janene, I Agree>Nickee**


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## spookiesmom (Mar 28, 2010)

An older man saw me wearing a doggy t shirt and asked if I was a dog lover, and what kind did I have? We chatted a bit, then he asked me if I had any disabilities or medical issues. 

Oh I forgot, we were in a restaurant and he had a pappillion?wiht him who was identified as a "service" dog

Then he dropped the bomb and said I could get mine certified, all it took was a letter from my Dr. He could help me. 

I was flabbergasted. I said it wasn't necessary, and left. 

It upset me on a lot of levels. If I ever truly need one, I'm sure the organization with the illness could point me to get one!

It's shameful.


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## Lacie's Mom (Oct 11, 2006)

There are really no regulations regarding registration of Service Dogs. They do not have to be "professionally" trained nor go through any type of regulated school. You are allowed to train your own service do -- and many people do. There is no National Registry for Service Dogs.

In addition, you are not allowed to ask a person what his disability is or what act the Service Dog performs. This falls under the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Many Service Dogs assist people with PTSD, so it isn't like we used to think of Service Dogs as being just for the blind or hearing impaired. We have tons of services that the dog may provide including seizure dogs, what is called a companion dog that may help open doors or reach for items that an owner cannot get to. Often the actual disability is not obvious to others.

In addition to Service Dogs, there is also a category for Emotional Support Dogs. These are more regulated as one must have a letter from a Pyschiatrist that you need an Emotional Support Dog.

No paperwork is actually required for a Service Dog -- nor is a vest or even an identification badge. The owner merely needs to assert that the dog is a Service Dog and under the American With Disabilities Act, the person cannot be challenged. Most people that have Service Dogs or attest to having a Service Dog, do, in fact, have either a Vest or identification badge as it just makes life much easier.

For an Emotional Support Dog, the letter from the Pyschiatrist is the required paperwork, however, having a vest and/or identification badge does make life easier for taking the dog with you.

Theraphy Dogs (not the same as an Emotional Support Dog) are not welcome in the same places as Service Dogs or Emotional Support Dogs. And Emotional Support Dogs are not welcome everywhere that a Service Dog is.

Since others may not know what your disability is and why you have a Service Dog or Emotional Support Dog and what services they provide to you, it's not always good to judge that someone has fraudulently documented their fluff.


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## babycake7 (Jan 30, 2012)

We have someone here in town who has a very ill behaved "service dog" that snarls, attempts to bite and pees in public places...like indoors!!!! He claims to have a "letter" from his doctor. A true service dog goes through rigorous professional training - two or more years - and both handler and dog must pass a public access test required by Assistance Dogs International which accredits providers of service dogs. You must be re-tested and re-certified annually to maintain your public access. Cooper and I are due for our annual test this summer in Santa Fe. The people that try to pass off dogs as service dogs, when they are truly not, hinder the progress of those who truly need a dog to assist them in their daily lives or those, like myself, who have facility dogs which help the community in meaningful and significant ways on a daily basis by performing specific and trained tasks.


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## babycake7 (Jan 30, 2012)

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Lacie's Mom said:


> There are really no regulations regarding registration of Service Dogs. They do not have to be "professionally" trained nor go through any type of regulated school. You are allowed to train your own service do -- and many people do. There is no National Registry for Service Dogs.
> 
> In addition, you are not allowed to ask a person what his disability is or what act the Service Dog performs. This falls under the Americans With Disabilities Act.
> 
> ...




Excellent points made by, Lynn! There are no real regulations but the organizations like Canine Companions for Independence and ADW , etc are accredited by ADI and have to meet certain criteria in order to maintain their accreditation. Personally, I would not take very seriously any service dog not coming out of a specialized breeding and training program like one of these. That being said, I do know that ADW does have a program to evaluate and train dogs people may already own if they need a service dog and would like their existing pet to become a service provider.


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## Lacie's Mom (Oct 11, 2006)

Hope -- under the ADA, the handler and/or dog is not required to pass a public access test or to have his/her Service Dog accredits.

Here is an excerpt from the ADA FAQs:

*2. Q: What is a service animal?*
A: The ADA defines a service animal as 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.

Service animals perform some of the functions and tasks that the individual with a disability cannot perform for him or herself. Guide dogs are one type of service animal, used by some individuals who are blind. This is the type of service animal with which most people are familiar. But there are service animals that assist persons with other kinds of disabilities in their day-to-day activities. Some examples include:
_ Alerting persons with hearing impairments to sounds. 
_ Pulling wheelchairs or carrying and picking up things for persons with mobility impairments. 
_ Assisting persons with mobility impairments with balance. ​A service animal is not a pet.
​*3. Q: How can I tell if an animal is really a service animal and not just a pet?*
A: Some, but not all, service animals wear special collars and harnesses. Some, but not all, are licensed or certified and have identification papers. If you are not certain that an animal is a service animal, you may ask the person who has the animal if it is a service animal required because of a disability. However, an individual who is going to a restaurant or theater is not likely to be carrying documentation of his or her medical condition or disability. Therefore, such documentation generally may not be required as a condition for providing service to an individual accompanied by a service animal. Although a number of states have programs to certify service animals, you may not insist on proof of state certification before permitting the service animal to accompany the person with a disability.

Here are the actual links to the ADA requirements for Service Dogs:

Revised ADA Requirements: Service Animals


Commonly Asked Questions About Service Animals in Places of Business

Here is additional info on Service Dogs under ADA Guidelines:





The ADA gives people with disabilities the right to take their service dog into any area the general public is allowed. This includes medical facilities, hotels, movie theaters, restaurants, taxis, zoos and sporting events. Businesses are not allowed to block the entrance of a service dog due to allergies or fear. The only time a disabled person can be asked to remove the service dog is if it is not reasonably under control or is a “direct threat to the health or safety of others.”
*Types*



There are three types of service dogs recognized by the ADA: guide dogs, hearing dogs and service dogs. Guide dogs are trained to assist a visually impaired person in almost any setting. Hearing dogs alert their hearing-impaired owners to a variety of sounds. Service dogs do special assignments, such as returning something dropped by a person in a wheelchair, alerting to a seizure or towing a wheelchair.
*Identification* 

*There is no national training or certification program for service dogs and therefore no nationally recognized identification material for service dogs.* Some--but not all--assistance dogs wear a special collar, harness or cape that identifies them as such. While business owners are not allowed to request proof of a service dog’s credentials or an individual’s disability, they can ask whether or not the dog is a service dog and what kind of tasks the dog can do.
*Fees*


According to the ADA, a person with a service dog may not be charged an extra fee to have their canine in a public place—even if people with pet dogs are charged. However, if all people with dogs are charged for any damages their dogs cause, then the disabled person must also pay the same fees if the service dog causes damage.
*Enforcement*


ADA laws—including those related to service dogs—are enforced by the Department of Justice. Individuals may file a complaint with the DOJ on the ADA website. Penalties imposed by the DOJ can range from educating employees about the ADA and related service dog laws to paying a fine to the disabled person whose rights were violated.
 ​


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## Lacie's Mom (Oct 11, 2006)

In addition, here is info on the ADA's Guidelines regarding the training of Service Dogs:

*Program-trained dogs vs. owner-trained dogs *

*A growing number of people choose to train their own service dogs. This can be because existing programs do not answer their needs (for example, a dog that can help someone in a wheelchair who is also hard of hearing).* It can also be because the disabled person wants to experience the dog's puppyhood, or because he or she already has a pet dog when the need for a service dog arises, as well as owner training being significantly less expensive than professional training. This is permitted in some countries, such as the U.S., but not in all. Handlers with experience training advanced dogs may choose to train the dogs themselves, while others may employ a professional trainer or organization that accepts an owner's existing dog.

Program-trained dogs are matched with their future handler near the end of the training process. By this point, it is nearly certain the candidate dog will complete training and will become a service dog. Owner-trainers often start working with their puppies while they are very young, too young to be thoroughly evaluated. Owner-trainers whose puppies fail to measure up must deal with the emotional conflict of whether to re-home the dog or keep him as a pet.
Because most programs now breed their own puppies and raise them according to very carefully researched and planned guidelines, their success rates are relatively high. Owner-trainers, lacking the experience of the program trainers and not being able to manipulate the genetics or early neurological stimulation of the puppies, generally experience a lower success rate.
However, for a person with the skill to train their own service dog, this option can make dogs of specific breeds available that would not be available through a program, and allows for greater customization of training. For a handler used to a certain set of command words or who needs a cross-disability dog, this can be a very useful option.


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## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

Lacie's Mom said:


> There are really no regulations regarding registration of Service Dogs. They do not have to be "professionally" trained nor go through any type of regulated school. You are allowed to train your own service do -- and many people do. There is no National Registry for Service Dogs.
> 
> In addition, you are not allowed to ask a person what his disability is or what act the Service Dog performs. This falls under the Americans With Disabilities Act.
> 
> ...


Actually it's the Emotional Support Dogs that I've found are what most people are doing fraudulently so they can take their dogs places they normally wouldn't. And even worse, getting free airfare. I don't know if general MD's aren't aware they are not the ones that can write a letter stating a person needs their dog as an ESD, or if a psychiatrist letter isn't really required. But I personally know of 3 people who have gotten their regular MD to write a letter for them. You can get the form letter off the internet. It really makes me mad because with all three of these people, their dogs have serious behavioral problems and would make eating in a restaurant or a flight on an airplane unpleasant. And the one has been known to bite on quite a few occasions. It's been hard to maintain some of those friendships because of how strongly I feel this is wrong and has the very real potential of making it difficult for someone who truly needs an ESD.

I have really contemplated asking my MD for a letter myself if I ever need to fly somewhere again on my own. I have a real problem/fear of getting lost and tend to hyperventilate and can't think straight to save my life. I didn't travel very much by car because of this. And it happens even when I'm not really lost but fear I might have missed an exit, a turn, etc... and stay that way until I finally see a marker to indicate I'm still on the right track. But I found when I had one of my fluffs with me I am able to function. Still scared out of my mind. Still have to fight not driving 100 mph (why I drive super fast when I'm lost is beyond me. :blink: ) And I still have really deep crescent moon marks in the palms of my hands from gripping the steering wheel so tight. But I don't hyperventilate. And I can make myself go to unknown places and find my way there and back with my fluffs. Certain large airports and fear of missing a connection affect me the very same way. But the actual flight I'm fine with. So because of that I don't think I would ever try to get a letter because I'm ok with the actual flight. Now I may start to panic when we land and am sitting there waiting to get off the blasted plane worrying about whether I'll be able to find my way through the airport and make my connection. And I'm afraid a cocktail on the plane may not be the way to go with this problem. :blush:


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

wkomorow said:


> It is unfortunate, and there are so many sources that will provide fake documentation. It makes it difficult for people with real service dogs. The real problem is not well behaved dogs. Service dogs are trained to be well behaved in a variety of social situations, including in restaurants and stores. *The problem is that if dogs were generally allowed in establishments you would have too many badly behaving dogs, which could pose a liability issue for the stores.*


Sorry but I don't agree with your last sentence. If dogs would be allowed in establishments it does not mean that everybody would take their dog there. A good example is Europe, especially France, where you can take your dog everywhere. You will not find many dogs in restaurants and shopping malls or in any other store. And all the dogs I encountered in those places were well behaved unlike kids in the same places. The only people who will take their dogs with them, are the ones that really care for their animal. The ones that don't care, don't have well behaved ones, and they are the least people who will take their animal outside the home. Why would you take along an animal you don't really care about !
I personally, don't take Charlie with me to ANY store here. And I would not do it even if permitted. Why ? because I think he is better off at home than in an environment that has the potential to stress him. And most of the time it is too hot here. We sweat, so why make him sweat too. BUT it would be nice that if we are on a trip we could take him with us. Hotels are not a problem, but restaurants are. We rarely go on trips because of this. I don't feel comfortable leaving him by himself in a hotel room. We didn't enjoy San Diego last year because of this. The restaurants we would have liked to eat in did not accept dogs. This year we went to Paso Robles and visited some wineries. All wineries had bowls with water outside for the dogs but you could not take them inside because of liabilities. The hotel we were in was dog friendly. Charlie stayed home with my daughter and her two chihuahuas. I am lucky because he does not need to go in boarding. But even so, we rarely go on a trip because we don't want to leave him behind.


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## babycake7 (Jan 30, 2012)

Lacie's Mom said:


> Hope -- under the ADA, the handler and/or dog mis not required to pass a public access test or to have his/her Service Dog accredits.
> 
> Here is an excerpt from the ADA FAQs:
> 
> ...



Lynn - thanks for all the information on the ADA. While I do have a service dog, for facility work, but i dont have a physical disability, I am obviously not in tune with the inner workings of the ADA though i probably should be for my own personal education. The other handlers that graduated in my class also received dogs for facility work so we didn't really focus on anything to do with the ADA in the "book" part of our training. I only what is required by me by ADW and ADI - they are not very lenient in my experience, for lack of a better word, and the care, maintenance, on going training and ability to pass a rather rigorous public access test annually is not taken lightly by either organization. I know that CCI dogs and handlers are also held to a pretty high standard. I guess I assumed that the standard that I am held to by ADW was across the board. This thread has definitely raised many questions in my mind as a handler. I will be calling the founder of ADW tomorrow, with whom I have a very good relationship, to further educate myself on the regulating of service dogs, or apparent lack there of. It's a bit disturbing now that I realize that it's not the same for all handlers/dogs as I just naturally assumed it was. Thanks for all the info.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

That being said, I feel that it is unethical and even fraudulent to make a dog pass as a service dog when it is not true. It's like parking in a handicapped parking space when you are not handicapped.


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## babycake7 (Jan 30, 2012)

MalteseJane said:


> That being said, I feel that it is unethical and even fraudulent to make a dog pass as a service dog when it is not true. It's like parking in a handicapped parking space when you are not handicapped.


I agree completely. Facility dogs are a somewhat new classification of service animals and I am sure there are some people who will disagree as to their public access since in most cases, their handler is someone like myself, who does not have a physical disability...but by nature of the work they perform, such As in courthouses etc, are required to take them into public places so that they can perform their jobs. In can not speak for others, but as for myself, I try to be very aware and considerate to those places that recognize that I don't have a disability and would prefer that Cooper does not set foot onto their premises...such as the local motor vehicle department who attempted to throw us out. The law in New Mexico as it is written protects Cooper and I, and other facility dogs from accredited organizations, from being barred from public places but again, I do not make an issue of it and take advantage. It's not worth the fight and much kinder for me to be considerate and to just not go into those places when Cooper is with me even though he is allowed there and our local law enforcement agencies are aware of his presence and prepared to back me up.


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## eiksaa (Jun 8, 2012)

MalteseJane said:


> That being said, I feel that it is unethical and even fraudulent to make a dog pass as a service dog when it is not true. It's like parking in a handicapped parking space when you are not handicapped.


That's a totally inaccurate analogy. There is a limited number of parking spaces. If I wrongfully take a handicapped parking space, I'm stopping someone from using it. Having a service dog is not the same. You having a service dog is not going to make a restaurant say no to another service dog because they have reached their service dog limit. 

While I agree with the premise of the article their reasoning sounds really weird to me. Don't bring in your badly behaved dog because it might disturb mine? How do they deal with this in restaurants that allow all dogs? Do they just avoid that and knowingly go to places where normal dogs aren't allowed? That's them abusing their service dog status then. 


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## Leila'sMommy (Oct 20, 2012)

I just hate when people do dishonest things like that! It ends up making it even harder on the honest people. 

I have Type 1 diabetes (formerly called Juvenile Diabetes) and wear an insulin pump. When my Yorkie was alive, he woke me up several times when my blood sugar had dropped too low during the night. I googled about that and found that they are training dogs now to do this. I had thought about looking into further training and getting him certified but never got around to it. I wonder if I could with Leila. So far, she's never shown me that she's noticed when I'm dropping. But she's still under a year old. 


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## Rocks (Jul 9, 2012)

What I don't understand is this, you need a special license plate or placard to park in a handicap space, so there is no secret that you are claiming to have a disability. Yet if you have a disability and require a service dog there is nothing to show they are in fact a service animal. I am not comparing the parking to the service animal, I am comparing that there is no privacy (or whatever it is that is being protected) for people parking. So why special treatment for people with service animals? Why is someones privacy an issue when it requires an animal but not when there is a car involved? 

Keep in mind, I myself am disabled so I have nothing to gain or lose either way. Sure, there are limited parking places for handicap people but there are also limits on peoples patience, people with allergies, asthma and other health issues that can't be around some animals. If my disability requires me to park in a closer spot I have no choice but to make that public knowledge, are my rights to privacy less than someone that requires a service animal? or are their rights greater for no reason other than they are not trying to park their dog? If you are walking into a public establishment with a "service animal" you are basically saying "I need this animal because of medical reasons" so it is no longer a private issue as you are already claiming you need that animal just by walking in with it so why shouldn't you have to prove you legally need it with something as simple as a special collar or ID on the animal that doesn't say what your reason is, but have the same type of info as what is displayed on a handicap parking tag?


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## Lacie's Mom (Oct 11, 2006)

I think that is exactly what my point was. We do need some type of regulated certification, licensing, training, registry, identification, etc. As it is now, almost anyone can do anything and have a legitimate (under the current law) Service Dog.


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## Rocks (Jul 9, 2012)

Since Louie has been here I have been able to either completely stop or significantly cut down on some of my medications. He has been a gift from God to me. I've had two doctors offer to fill out paperwork to make him a service dog but I declined. I love having him around and taking him places but don't feel the need to take him into restaurants and stores. When I can't take him with me or won't take him in to certain places I make sure I have my medications with me just in case. I made a small card I had laminated that I keep with me that has instructions on what pill or when to call 911 or my girlfriend if I have a problem and am unable to deal with it myself. I used to be embarrassed about some of my medical conditions but got to the point where I figure if people can't accept me how I am there is a place below my back they can kiss a cheek.


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