“Today, any pet owner can go online and buy a vest for a dog to pass it off as a service animal to gain access to restaurants, hotels and places of business,” said Republican state Rep. Kimberly Ferguson, who introduced the Massachusetts bill. “Their animals aren’t trained and end up misbehaving in these public places, which gives real service dogs a bad name.”
So, how easy is it to fake it?
KDKA’s Amy Wadas decided to see how the process works, so she logged onto a website for a company called Certapet in hopes that she could get her 5-year-old cat, Simba, certified to become an ESA animal.
The site is one of several where a licensed medical professional will write an ESA letter for you if you pay a fee. Wadas had to answer a bunch of questions involving her mental health, like whether she felt down or had anxiety in the past week.
The eight puppies born at Airside F in Tampa International Airport last week were adorable instantly, internet famous quickly and controversial not long after.
The white golden retriever parents, a male named Golden Nugget and the pregnant Eleanor Rigby, were set to board an American Airlines flight to Philadelphia with owner Karen Van Atter. That’s when “Ellie” went into labor, while Nugget jumped around like a nervous dad-to-be.
Publix is taking a stance against dogs. You can still shop with service dogs but they can’t go everywhere.
A manager at Publix says people are using these carts not only for food, but for animals. But new signs inside are hoping to change that.
A new sign now greets customers when they enter Publix.
The Justice Department reached an agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with The Pawn Shop and Tax Service, Inc., (The Pawn Shop) in Pensacola, Florida to resolve a complaint under title III of the ADA. The Department’s investigation found that the manager of The Pawn Shop asked a veteran who uses a service dog to leave because the manager mistakenly believed the dog was a pet, not a service dog. Public accommodations must permit Individuals who use service dogs, including veterans with disabilities who use service dogs for disabilities such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, or mobility disabilities, into their establishments.
People have become emboldened to bring their pets along on public outings thanks to legal gray areas and widespread availability of service animal insignia. People are emboldened to bring their pets along on public outings thanks to legal gray areas and widespread availability of service animal insignia. “If you go anywhere on the internet you can buy a vest,” said Severt.
“If you Google ‘service dogs,’ the first thing that comes up is a registry. It’s totally bogus.” Yet pet owners purchase a certificate and claim they “have paperwork” when questioned, she said.
As you can imagine, Delta received hundreds of proposals per week; and while all are worthy, we cannot honor all requests. After careful consideration of the information provided, we are sorry to inform you that we are declining your request because the opportunity does not meet our current objectives and budget.
Thank you for thinking of Delta Air Lines, and we wish you all the best.
The ADA Registry service is not a certification process, and the only requirement to obtain a service dog identification card is a $55 payment. As a result of Plaintiff’s failure to provide supporting evidence of his disability and need for a service dog, Defendants advised Plaintiff that his request for reasonable accommodation could not be granted..
She says her landlord’s insurance policy prevents violent breeds from living in a home. Bruno was spotted and a complaint was filed with the city. This leaves Hodges, who is living on a disability check, in a difficult position.
It’s Ashley’s last week of puppyhood and her last days with Brittney Clark. She is the third Canine Companion pup Clark has raised from just eight weeks old.
“Renee” was first, then came Grams. Both are fully certified and working. “It doesn’t get any easier. If they tell you it’s gonna get easier Kathryn, they lied to you,” Clark said tearfully.
Yet, she keeps doing it, again and again. “I always go into it as they’re my puppy, not my dog,” she explained further.