Civil Rights

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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andrew smith, chairman, consumer protection, Department of Housing and Urban Development, director, documenations, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, HUD, joseph simons, lois greisman, marketing practices, misleading, Secretary, unneccessday, unreliable, websites

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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Alabama, deerfield inn and suites, Department of Justice, depression, gasden, hotel, jon graves, landmark hotel group, post-traumatic stress disorder, ptsd, reservations, service animal, severe anxiety, United States, Virginia, virginia beach

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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afraid, allergic, Commission of Human Rights and Opportunities, direct threat, equal employment opportunities commission, Greyhound, john barry, kylie, Labrador, neil o'brien, norwich bulletin, reliance house, scranton chevrolet, undue hardship

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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adam menin, cindy brodie, drogo, German Shepherd, governor kim reynolds, gunny, Iowa, james larrabee, julie menin, madalen larrabee, no cost to veterans, panic attack, partners for patriots, post-traumatic stress disorder, sioux city, sioux city journal, suicide, veteran

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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al moore, Americas VetDogs, catherine abramshe, chesty, cumberland, dawn moore, hagerstown, herbert wilson bey, iraq, kevin, marines, Maryland, maryland department of public safety and correctional services, military, Pennsylvania, pocono mountains, post-traumatic stress disorder, rachel chason, ricardo quinn, sheila o'brien, sully, veteran, veteran affairs, washington post, western correctional instution

You may be doing more harm than good when approaching a service dog

Americans with Disability Act, Civil Rights, Education, End Disability Discrimination, Medical Assistance Animals, Service Dogs (SD)

October 20, 2019

For those with disabilities, a service dog means a more independent life. But oftentimes, the attention the dog attracts in public can make life more difficult.

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english setter, hank, joey iverson, kaylynn parker, munsterlander, seattle, Washington

Seattle woman shares what you need to know about service animals

Americans with Disability Act, Civil Rights, Education, End Disability Discrimination, Medical Assistance Animals, News, Service Dogs (SD)

October 20, 2019

After getting questioned about her disability, a Seattle woman is spreading the word about how you should interact with service animals in public.

1990

king5, seattle, Washington

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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alligator, amanda gill, California, disability independence group, farah stockman, Florida, florida apartment association, for-profit company, jesse calfas, matthew dietz, mental health, national service animal registry, new york times, Oklahoma, online therapists, ophelia, Pennsylvania, phony certifications, primadonna, sam killebrew, sara pratt, starbucks, stuffed baboon, tammy townley, tampa, todd weiler, Utah, vayne myers, Virginia, wally, work

The Completely Reasonable Reason People Are Flying With Mini Horses

Air Carrier Access Act, Civil Rights, Medical Assistance Animals, Miniature Horse

August 21, 2019

The Department of Transportation’s declaration that miniature horses should be prioritized as service animals has raised many questions.

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Atlanta, boston, cali, cats, cheryl spencer, confetti, Department of Transportation, dogs, emotional support animals, esa, Georgia, heather murphy, kenneth shiotani, li'l sebastian, Michigan, Miniature horses, mona ramouni, National Disability Rights Network, New York, new york times, parks and recreation

Delta Facing Backlash After Reportedly Denying Flight for Service Dog

Air Carrier Access Act, Civil Rights, Medical Assistance Animals, Pets, Service Dogs (SD), Travel

August 21, 2019

Delta Air Lines has come under scrutiny after the carrier reportedly did not allow a service dog scheduled to be delivered to a two-year-old child dealing with seizures on one of its flights.

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christin lhautara, Delta, Delta Air Lines, donald wood, epilepsy, hydrocephalus, kim biggerstaff, mila lhautara, Phoenix

HUD asks FTC to investigate websites selling assistance animal documentation

DOJ settles ADA complaint about hotels not honoring reservations for disabled vets with service dogs

Norwich man says car dealership denied him job because of service dog

Amid pit bull debate, service dogs prove life-changing for Sioux City veterans

His first job was training service dogs in prison.

You may be doing more harm than good when approaching a service dog

Seattle woman shares what you need to know about service animals

People Are Taking Emotional Support Animals Everywhere. States Are Cracking Down.

The Completely Reasonable Reason People Are Flying With Mini Horses

Delta Facing Backlash After Reportedly Denying Flight for Service Dog

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