Cases

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

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

Department of Transportation Will Let Airlines Ban Emotional Support Snakes And Rodents

Air Carrier Access Act, Air Carrier Access Act, Cases, Civil Rights, Education, Emotional Support Animals (ESA), End Disability Discrimination, Government, Medical Assistance Animals, Miniature Horse, News, Pets, Service Dogs (SD), Service Dogs in Training (SDiT), Stop Disability Fraud, Travel

August 12, 2019

DOT listened to all of the stakeholders, reviewed the law, and laid out guidelines that will allow airlines to balance their operational needs, the comfort needs of all passengers, while ensuring that restrictions put in place don’t preclude having mental health needs met.

While that may not mean the end of passengers getting bitten by poorly controlled and vicious animals, it allows some controls to be put in place that may reduce the frequency and severity of incidents.

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14 CFR 382, advance notice, age, breed, containment, Department of Transportation, documentation, enforcement priorities, final guidance, flight length, forbes, gary leff, number, possums, proof, snakes, species, spiders, turkeys, weight

Chicago man continues legal fight to bring his ‘emotional support’ pig to parks

Americans with Disabilities Act Title II, Cases, Education, Emotional Support Animals (ESA), Local, Medical Assistance Animals, Pets, Stop Disability Fraud

August 11, 2019

Mayle, who said in the lawsuit that he is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, said Chief Wiggum serves as an emotional support animal because he responds to attacks. Mayle also said the hog gives him massage therapy to help him with his anxiety and depression, according to his lawsuit.

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Chicago, chicago tribune, chief wiggum, harry leinenweber, hog, jessica villagomez, kenneth mayle, local businesses, pit, restaurants, ride-shares, u.s. district judge

American Airlines flight attendant bitten by emotional support dog, requires five stitches

Air Carrier Access Act, Air Carrier Access Act, Cases, Civil Rights, Emotional Support Animals (ESA), Medical Assistance Animals, News, Pets, Stop Disability Fraud, Travel

July 25, 2019

The DOT (Department of Transportation) sought comments from travelers in 2018 and was flooded with replies, but so far no action has been taken.

“We need the (U.S.) Department of Transportation to take action now, so events like the one that happened yesterday do not continue to occur on our planes,” the statement said. “This is fundamentally about maintaining safety, health and security for passengers and crew, while ensuring accessibility for those who need it.”

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American Airlines, Association of Flight Attendants, dallas, dawn gilbertson, Department of Transportation, fort worth, greensboro, instant certification, North Carolina, Texas, USA Today

The grim effect Delta’s ESA lawsuit will have on travel

Air Carrier Access Act, Cases, Emotional Support Animals (ESA), Medical Assistance Animals, News

June 6, 2019

A man who was severely mauled by an emotional support animal on a Delta flight in 2017 is suing the airline and the dog’s owner for damages. An in-depth reading of the suit delivers some disturbing takeaways about the future of air travel for both humans and animals.

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Atlanta, attacked, backlash, banned, david dao, Delta, Delta Air Lines, Delta Airlines, Georgia, marlin jackson, muzzle, policies, procedures, rebooking, ronald mundy, security, social media, ticketing

Landlord to pay $1M in emotional support animal lawsuit

Cases, Emotional Support Animals (ESA), End Disability Discrimination, Fair Housing Act, Medical Assistance Animals, News

June 5, 2019

MEEKER, Colo. – Residents with disabilities using the Meeker Housing Authority won a discrimination lawsuit for $1 million. The suit was filed after their landlord told them their emotional support animals would not be allowed without paying an additional pet fee.

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additional pet fee, aj white, antonio white, cat, cbs denver, Colorado, dog, laura wolf, lawsuit, lonnie white, low income families, meeker, meeker housing authority, megan mcfadden, mental health disability, pet fee, rathod mohamedbhai law firm, shawn chitnis, therapist

Dog Days in Dorms

Cases, Civil Rights, Emotional Support Animals (ESA), Fair Housing Act, Fair Housing Act, Media, Medical Assistance Animals, News, Pets, Stop Disability Fraud

May 26, 2019

Colleges see sharp increase in students who want emotional support animals to live with them. Administrators worry those students may not have a real need but want their pets as companions.

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504 compliance, administrators, bearded dragons, bunny, courtney cioffredi, dorm, ferrets, guinea pig, inside higher ed, jeremy bauer wolf, kearney, kitten, l scott lissner, Lua Hancock, Meredyth Goodwin, misinformation, new yorker, Ohio State University, peacock, physical disability, psychological disability, skepticism, snakes, turkey, university, university of nebraska, verifiication, Washington State University