HUD asks FTC to investigate websites selling assistance animal documentation
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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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Families claim they paid thousands for service animal and got expensive pet
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November 10, 2019

The families paid Canines 4 Hope between 8 to 13 thousand dollars.

Each contract said there is no guarantee the dog would early detect a seizure or a sudden change in blood sugar.

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DOJ settles ADA complaint about hotels not honoring reservations for disabled vets with service dogs
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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
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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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Amid pit bull debate, service dogs prove life-changing for Sioux City veterans
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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.
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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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Blind men say they were ‘accosted’ by animal rights activist for using guide dogs
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October 31, 2019

Patel told Unilad that the unruly woman was shouting that Patel and his friend were “absolutely cruel” for having guide dogs and even suggested that the men were equivalent to people who organize dog fights.

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ESA Gator

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