Posted on Nov 20, 2017
Has anyone here with a legitimate medical alert service dog faced off with someone with fake “service animals”?
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Has anyone here with a legitimen medical alert service dog like mine faced off with fake service dogs and other fake “service animals”? This makes it difficult for real Veterans with real problems to get services they need. If you have, what did you do or say about it? I know that I had to try to keep my Military baring and not blow up. Difficult indeed!
Posted in these groups: 
Service Dogs
Disabled Veterans
Service Dogs Disabled Veterans
Posted >1 y ago
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I have heard of people who put a service dog vest on their pets in order to fly them on airlines. I think that is despicable.
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How does that conversation even get started? If you see a person with a service dog, do you Automatically walk up and demand to see their papers? I'm not sure I understand how these encounters begin, if you are just going about your business. When your dog sniffs the other dog's butt, does he give you a signal that means "something doesn't smell right about that guy"?
Plus, the ADA makes it illegal for any public place employee to ask for any kind of documentation for the dog. By law, you can only ask the dog owner if the dog is for help with a disability and what task is the dog trained to do. That's it. You can't ask for papers or for a demonstration of the dogs skills. And there is no official registration credentials for service dogs at the federal level. So I'm curious how you engage the owner in the first place.
Plus, the ADA makes it illegal for any public place employee to ask for any kind of documentation for the dog. By law, you can only ask the dog owner if the dog is for help with a disability and what task is the dog trained to do. That's it. You can't ask for papers or for a demonstration of the dogs skills. And there is no official registration credentials for service dogs at the federal level. So I'm curious how you engage the owner in the first place.
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SFC (Join to see)
In my defense, have been at a Veterans Day event sponsored by the legit agency for service dogs. The same one I recieved mine through. I was approached by fakes (fake Veterans and people claiming their pet too is a service animal), and that’s is how it started. The ADA Law is not strict enough when Joe Blow can buy a vest from anywhere and claim his pooch or in this case I am thinking of, goat... is a service animal. And not just snt service animal, but a “medical alert” service animal. It was needles to say a very interesting bunch of lies to listen to, especially since his goat sleeps outside and not in the house, he’s not allowed to take it to work or to the clinic, etc. This very same “Seargent Lieutenant Major General” POS Poser who claimed to be in the “Special Forces” in the Marines... (you see where I am going with this, right?) . I digress. But you got the point. It’s idiots like this that makes it hard for legit Veterans and service dogs to board planes, buses, trains, etc.
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MSgt Neil Greenfield
Hmm. LTC Michael Matthews, your first paragraph gave me a smile and a chuckle today when I absolutely needed it. Thanks!
I wonder what people would start saying about real service monkeys and fake service monkeys!
I wonder what people would start saying about real service monkeys and fake service monkeys!
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CPT Lawrence Cable
SFC (Join to see) - Are we talking about service animals or support animals? LTC Mathews is correct that services animals are protected by ADA, but support animals are not, with the exception that FHA considers it Reasonable Accommodation to allow them in no pet housing. So to qualify as a service animal, it must be trained to perform a certain function to help your particular disability while a support animal requires not training, but does not have access protected.
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CSM Thomas McGarry
Col.-See my post above-I certainly believe that bring any dog that has not been properly trained (trust me there is extensive training of these dogs) into a public venue can certainly be a liability issue. The ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) is not blanked coverage for all situations.
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I don't have a service dog, but I do know people who do have "fake service dogs". I understand the seriousness of service dogs, so when I see these fakers, I call them out on it. It's nothing against the dogs themselves, but much like a phony veteran, a fake service animal can give a real service animal a bad name.
What happens when that untrained "service animal" chews the face of a toddler off??? This helps bring about legislation barring actual service animals from public spaces.
Much like gun control, the only ones that would be affected are the law abiding people.
What happens when that untrained "service animal" chews the face of a toddler off??? This helps bring about legislation barring actual service animals from public spaces.
Much like gun control, the only ones that would be affected are the law abiding people.
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SFC (Join to see)
Thank you! I see some of these fakes at my local VA Clinic as well. A pet they are, sure, comfort they provide, sure... but a service dog they are not!
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Cpl Justin Goolsby
SFC (Join to see) - Indeed. The ones I see are being called "therapy support dogs", but I know for a fact they have no papers and are untrained. Most just use it as an excuse to bring their dog wherever pets aren't allowed. I teach my kids about them so they know the seriousness of their purpose.
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