Service Animals

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finalcloud

finalcloud

Aug 16, 2012
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So Saturday evening we were by the Ram and we saw someone walking their dog. This dog had no markings what so ever stating it was a seeing eye dog. My cat was bigger than this thing. How is that allowed in the park?!? As I walked by I saw it taking a piss while four employees didn't say a damn thing. One of them was a supervisor.

Maybe its just me but I'm seeing more and more pets being allowed in stores. But that is a different rant for a different thread.
 
All I know is that while I worked at the park, if someone brought in an animal and they claimed it provided a service of some sort to them that was protected by ADA, we couldn't say anything unless they were causing a menace (barking, lunging, or similar behavior). I can't remember what animals they considered ok, other than dogs and mini horses. The ongoing joke was wanting to see a mini horse ride the bumper cars, since apparently, they were allowed on with the guests. As someone who's family has a certified assistance dog, it really irks me to see this culture of bringing pets anywhere because of a false disability claim, since it is not required that assistance animals are to be marked by anything, but again, that is a discussion for another thread.
 
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While it's helpful for service animals to be labeled as such, I don't believe there's an actual requirement to have them in a vest. Also service animals do more than lead the blind. They can detect certain foods that somebody may be allergic food that's accidentally mixed in. Or even detect for up coming medical emergencies such as somebody having PTSD and being triggered into an attack. And that doesn't necessarily mean they need a large dog to help them.

And while they 100% should have been using the dog relief section by Pompeii, it's not like anybody could actually say anything. There's laws against asking about service animals.
 
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Specially training service animals are covered by the ADA and should be wearing some sort of visual ID to let it be known. ControlsEE is correct in that only dogs and mini horses are the two animals that the ADA recognizes the last I checked. Anyone else who has a "comfort" animal can be refused as they are NOT covered by the ADA and if they state so they are wrong. Now there may be a city or state law that says they can be allowed in a business but that would have to be validated. I went through this at my last job with someone who said they needed to bring their dog in for comfort as he was a Vet with PTSD. The boss allowed it but because he was nice. But this then brought about another problem as a lady in the office was allergic to it and they had to move her away from the dog!
 
This goes with the posts a page or so back on service animals. Tonight we saw a fairly large all balck dog on what looked to be a 6 foot or so leash tonight in England with no markings on him. Later just before the fireworks we saw him again by Loch Ness barking at guests, minutes later the dog and the person holding the leash were running through the park, basically the dog was pulling him. Wonder what he was trained to alert the disabled person to?
 
From what I understand, unless they are specifically trained to handle this sort of relations, team members are instructed not to confront guests about their service animals because saying the wrong thing could be illegal or considered discrimination.
 
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So...one guest isnt bothered the rest of the park is subjected to a loud barking dog who looked like it was ready to not play so nice. When that dog attacks someone and it makes national news the park with start thinking diffrent.
 
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Joe said:
Yep, and the park avoids the negative press of discriminating against a disabled guest as well as a lawsuit. If I were the park I’d take it that way too.
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There has to be a point where they can step up for the safety of other guests.
 
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If there is a law/policy/protocol that governs the use of service animals, then it is not discriminatory or offensive to ask for proper identification, especially if it is not clearly present that you have it.
We need proper attire to enter the park, we need proper licensing to drive, to carry a concealed firearm, to identify ourselves properly here and there, etc. There are certain places that you can and cannot drive, where you can and cannot carry a firearm and need to show your ID to proper officials. I don’t find it outside the realm of common sense to have proper ID on your animals and your self without “playing” the “I’m offended” game so easily.
 
According to ADA -
When a person with a service animal enters a public facility or place of public accommodation, the person cannot be asked about the nature or extent of his disability. Only two questions may be asked:

1. Is the animal required because of a disability?

2. What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?

Further

A public accommodation or facility is not allowed to ask for documentation or proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal.
 
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GrandpaD said:
According to ADA -
When a person with a service animal enters a public facility or place of public accommodation, the person cannot be asked about the nature or extent of his disability. Only two questions may be asked:

1. Is the animal required because of a disability?

2. What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?

Further

A public accommodation or facility is not allowed to ask for documentation or proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal.
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I understand that's the current law but that should not be the law. There should be a licensing procedure and they should have to show that license when requested.
 
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BGWnut said:
I understand that's the current law but that should not be the law. There should be a licensing procedure and they should have to show that license when requested.
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I totally agree. It's known people buy service dog vests in Amazon and put it on Pepe the Toy Poodle and no one can stop them.

However, they can kick them out for cause -

The handler is responsible for the care and supervision of his or her service animal. If a service animal behaves in an unacceptable way and the person with a disability does not control the animal, a business or other entity does not have to allow the animal onto its premises. Uncontrolled barking, jumping on other people, or running away from the handler are examples of unacceptable behavior for a service animal. A business has the right to deny access to a dog that disrupts their business.

I think that's the aspect of the law team members should be better educated.
 
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Not to further detail this thread but...

BGWnut said:
I understand that's the current law but that should not be the law. There should be a licensing procedure and they should have to show that license when requested.
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The issue with this, is not everyone who has a service animal gets them from people who specifically train service animals. (Because honestly getting a professionally trained service dog is expensive. But that's a whole other discussion.)

Some people train their own service dogs, to cut the cost down. Of course not all people can do this, but there are many who do.

I do believe there should be a standard for those who train their own dogs to go to some place to verify that yes this is a well trained service dog, at least behaviorally in public spaces. But I don't think that's on the government's (local, state, or federal) to do list any time remotely soon, or even on their radar.
 
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As good as the idea sounds for licensing, which bureaucratic entity would be responsible for managing it and how much would it cost to apply?

Also, for those that actually have a disability but don't have proof of licensure for their animal, by an organization requiring that proof for entry and/or use of their facilities and services wouldn't that be in itself a form of the kind of discrimination that the current law was designed to prevent?
 
If you're an employer and your employee request an accommodation for a disability you are permitted to ask them to show your proof that they need such an accommodation.

My issue is that right now it's too easy for anyone to just buy a vest and claim that an animal is a service animal. I don't even think it's necessary to make sure individual animals are licensed. Perhaps make it something that the person applies for and then they can designate an animal as a service animal. I just think it's absurd that any can claim that an animal is a service animal and that's ok. When an animal like that acts out and causes issues it hurts the credibility of people that actually need service animal for reasons that are not obvious. These are like people who have anxiety attacks or PTSD, etc and they have service animals that help them through their day. I have a friend who has PTSD and I have first hand seen how his dog calms him down and helps him when he has an issue. He trained his dog by himself so that the dog would be able to understand his specific triggers.

Sorry rant over. I just think there should be some to verify that a person isn't just claiming their animal is a service animal so that they can not pay for them to be in a kennel or so they can bring them shopping instead of leave them at home, etc.
 
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All the points above I agree with. The dog I saw last night in no way seemed to be a service animal. In fact the way it was barking at guests and running it looked like something you would see chained up in a backyard. Thats just it now days, we are so worried about hurt feelings that we allow anyone baiscally to do what they want. The people this really hurts are the ones that truelty need them. The park only has so many kennels so if this person who just wanted to bring their dog in the park is using the kennel it could leave the person who really needed it to have to wait.
 
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