HUD asks FTC to investigate websites selling assistance animal documentation
Cases, Civil Rights, Emotional Support Animals (ESA), Fair Housing Act, Fair Housing Act, Government, Medical Assistance Animals, Pets, Service Dogs (SD), Stop Disability Fraud
January 1, 2020

Recently, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson wrote to Chairman of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Joseph J. Simons and Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection Andrew Smith requesting that the FTC investigate certain websites that may be selling assistance animal documentation.

“These certificates are not an acceptable substitute for authentic documentation provided by medical professionals when appropriate,” said Secretary Carson. “These websites that sell assistance animal certificates are often also misleading by implying that they are affiliated with the federal government. Nothing could be further from the truth. Their goal is to convince individuals with disabilities that they need to spend hundreds of dollars on worthless documentation to keep their assistance animal in their homes.”

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DOJ settles ADA complaint about hotels not honoring reservations for disabled vets with service dogs
ADR - American Disability Rights, Inc., Americans with Disabilities Act Title III, Americans with Disability Act, Cases, Civil Rights, End Disability Discrimination, Medical Assistance Animals, News, Reasonable Accommodation, Service Dogs (SD), Travel
November 9, 2019

The Department’s investigations found that Deerfield and Landmark discriminated against veterans with PTSD when they refused to honor reservations for hotel rooms because the veterans were accompanied by their service dogs.

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Norwich man says car dealership denied him job because of service dog
Americans with Disabilities Act Title I, Americans with Disability Act, Cases, Civil Rights, Education, End Disability Discrimination, Medical Assistance Animals, Reasonable Accommodation, Service Dogs (SD), Service Dogs in Training (SDiT), Workplace
November 6, 2019

Kylie is a 3-year-old black Labrador-greyhound mix O’Brien received in August 2016. He and she received training from a nonprofit organization called Mutts Mending Mankind based in Bantam.

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3308

Amid pit bull debate, service dogs prove life-changing for Sioux City veterans
Air Carrier Access Act, Americans with Disability Act, Civil Rights, Education, Emotional Support Animals (ESA), Fair Housing Act, Medical Assistance Animals, News, Service Dogs (SD), Service Dogs in Training (SDiT), Stop Disability Fraud
November 3, 2019

“The biggest problem is you have people that do not have a trained dog. They’re taking untrained dogs out there and they’re causing problems,” Brodie said. “They’re saying they’re service dogs, but they’re not.”

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His first job was training service dogs in prison.
Americans with Disability Act, Civil Rights, Medical Assistance Animals, News, Service Dogs (SD), Service Dogs in Training (SDiT)
November 1, 2019

It takes more than $50,000 to breed, raise, train, match and support a service dog trained through America’s VetDogs. After the puppies graduate from the prison training, they receive an additional three months of formal training, O’Brien said. The group then flies the veterans in and houses them for two weeks while they work with their new puppies. Veterans are never charged for the service; the organization relies largely on donations.

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ESA Gator

People Are Taking Emotional Support Animals Everywhere. States Are Cracking Down.
Air Carrier Access Act, Air Carrier Access Act, Cases, Civil Rights, Emotional Support Animals (ESA), Fair Housing Act, Fair Housing Act, Local, Medical Assistance Animals, Pets, Service Dogs (SD), Stop Disability Fraud, Therapy Animals
August 21, 2019

More Americans are saying they need a variety of animals — dogs, ducks, even insects — for their mental health. But critics say many are really just pets that do not merit special status.
The vast majority of emotional support animals are dogs, but some Americans turn to a wide variety of other species. Wally the alligator was approved by his owner’s doctor in York, Pa., as an alternative to taking medication for depression.

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