What should you do when you encounter a disabled person with a Service Dog (Assistance Dog)?
Today
more disabled people have found greater freedom and independance, with
the help of a specially trained Medical Service Dog. These specially
trained Service Dogs reduce the necessity for the services of a hired
Aide to assist them with activities of daily living, or perhaps even
negate the need to hire such an assistant. The purpose of this article
is to help the general public understand how to react when encountering
the disabled person when they are accompanied by their highly trained
canine assistant.
Do You Know What to Do When You See Someone With an Assistance Dog AKA Service Dog?
Jasper an assistance dog getting ready to go grocery shopping.
More
and more people are seeing Service Dogs or assistance dogs/animals
while out doing their daily routine. However, more often than not,
people do not seem to know what to do when they see a disabled person
with their assistance dog partner.
This guide will tell you what
an assistance dog/animal is, how they help their disabled partner and
how you should behave when you encounter a disabled person teamed with
an assistance dog/animal
* Please, be courteous with handler and dog, just as you would with anyone else.
The
disabled Service Dog handler is accorded the right to take a service
animal into places of public accomodation. Just because the dog is a
service animal does NOT mean that whomever is handling him can bring
him into places of public accomodation!
Jake in harness laying down out of the way at a doctors appointment
* An assistance dog/animal DOES NOT NEED to wear any kind of identifying collar, leash, harness, cape, or any other type of identification items.
* A team DOES NOT NEED
to provide a business owner with any kind of Proof that the dog is an
assistance animal in the form of any paperwork, badge, ID, etc.
* In fact it is illegal for a business to require such identification as a condition of access!
Some
of us do use a cape, harness, patch or use other such items to help the
public identify our animal as an assistance animal, but this is a
personal choice and done as a courtesy to business and the public in
general. Again, this is not required and a business can not refuse
access to a service animal because the handler does not have "proper
identification" as the ADA does not make these requirements on the
disabled person.
A service dog/animal is described as any animal that is individually trained
to assist the person with a disability. Some disabilities are
classified as "invisible" this means that to the usual person they may
not recognise the disabled person as disabled. This does not mean that
they are not disabled, just that you can not see the disability. These
disabled people are also allowed to use a service dog/animal as long as
they meet the qualifications for disability as listed in the ADA and
Individual State Disability regulations.
The dog does not have access in and of himself, the disabled person does.
A
service dog with a non-disabled handler that is not a trainer is just a
pet. Only when the dog is with the disabled handler, does the dog
becomes a Service Dog or a Service Dog In Training. It is the handler
is accorded the rights, not the dog!
A reptile is not a service animal
A
reptile can not be individually trained to perform tasks of assistance
to the disabled person. (Yes, there have been instances where someone
has tried to pass off a reptile as a Service Animal)
What is NOT an
assistance animal? Reptiles are not assistance animals as they can not
be reliably and individually trained to assist anyone. Ferrets and
rodents are not assistance animals for the same reason. Some birds can
be trained to assist a disabled person, but this is not common. Cats
can be trained to be an assistance animal but more often than not, they
are actually Emotional Support Animals and as such are not offered the
protections of the ADA as assistance animals. The key word or phrase
here is that the "Animal Must be Individually Trained to be of
Assistance to the Disabled Person.
Some groups do train miniature
horses to be guide animals for the blind, so you could potentially run
into a horse guide team. Somewhere here in California someone with
animal control did give a service animal ID tag to a rat, but I would
love to know what that animal really did to assist his disabled person
that he could not do for himself, which is the criteria for an
assistance animal to be legitimate. There are those that claim that
their pet snake, ferret, pot belly pig and other animals are assistance
animals that are protected under the ADA but again the criteria is that
the animal MUST BE INDIVIDUALLY TRAINED TO DO SOMETHING THAT THE
DISABLED PERSON CAN NOT DO FOR THEMSELVES! I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT ANY
OF THOSE ANIMALS CAN MEET THAT CRITERIA!
Jasper and I at the Plaza Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Jasper
was my mobility dog, his job was to keep me from loosing my balance and
falling down, among other tasks. Service dogs/assistance dogs must meet
a set criteria for public access in that they must be calm, stable and
under the handlers control at all times. They must not be aggressive to
other dogs or people and must not disrupt a businesses normal routine.
The dog/animal must be individually trained to do a task that is of
assistance to the disabled person such as picking up dropped items,
detecting or responding to a medical condition, carrying objects,
opening doors, providing mobility assistance, helping to put on or
remove clothing and many other tasks. No one task is required of all
service dogs, the criteria states that they must be individually
trained to provide assistance to the disabled person. I am mobility
impaired so my dog provides balance and support while I am out and
about. I can not stand for any period of time without experiencing
excruciating pain so his job is to brace or lean against my legs to
help prevent spasm.
Yes
some of us keep our retired dogs, they have worked hard for us and
deserve the good life! Unfortunatly for those with program trained
dogs, those handlers may be required to give up their retired animals
in order to recieve their next assistance dog. This simply is not fair
for the team, and I will never understand why. This is why I will train
my own assistance dog for as long as I am physically able... Let them
pry that leash out of my cold dead hands!
Businesses; what do you do when someone comes in with an assistance dog/animal service dog?
First you can ask 3 questions.
1. Are you disabled?
2. Is that your Service Dog?
3. What task does he perform for you?
The
disabled person does not have to tell you what their medical diagnosis
is and, you can not deny access if you don't like the task they tell
you the dog does. As long as the dog is quiet and displays appropriate
manners (ie, doesn't defecate or void in your business, does not
display agression, etc.)you can not deny access to the disabled person
and the assistance animal. Your staff are not responsible in any way
for the care of the animal. The handler is responsible for anything the
animal may do. You can ask them to leave only if the dog/animal is
disruptive or aggressive. The mere presence of the assistance
dog/animal is not a qualification for being disruptive! The assistance
animal is to be considered medical equipment, you would not deny
someone from entering your business with a cane, therefore you can not
deny them if they are using an assistance animal.
Jake lying down at a doctors office waiting for his next command
Public
access. What do you do when you encounter someone with an assistance
dog/animal? Nothing, treat them just as you would anyone else you run
into during your day. The assistance animal is there to be of aid to
the disabled person, you wouldn't try to talk to their wheel chair so
you shouldn't try to talk to the assistance animal.
We try to keep our assistance animals out of the way and as inconspicuous as possible.
Here
Jake is under my chair at the doctors awaiting my appointment time If
you have small children, please... tell them not to touch the
assistance animal/dog. It is doubtful that the animal would harm your
child, but the disabled person depends on their assistance animal and
if the animal is distracted it can not do it's job which could cause
harm to the disabled partner.
Please do NOT scream, point or
otherwise try to draw attention to yourself and/or the assistance
dog/animal! We just want to go about our day and get things done just
like you do, and no body likes to get that kind of attention!
Our dogs do not do "tricks" for your amusement, so please do not ask to see what our dog does for us!
I would never ask you how you to show me how you put your shoes on in the morning, please do not ask me...
Some states have SDIT laws which allow a "Service Dog In Training" to have the same access (for training purposes) that a real Service dog has.
Do NOT try to touch or pet the assistance animal!
How
would you like it if I came up to you and started petting your arm? Our
service animals are our arms, legs, eyes, hands, etc. They are an
extension of ourselves to assist us to do something that we find
difficult, painful or impossible to do on our own.
An assistance dog
is NOT a pet, technically they are classified as durable medical
equipment. Of course don't tell the dog that ... LOL. He is happy to do
his job and his partner would be lost without him!
If you have
children please tell them not to call the assistance animal or try to
touch him. It is doubtful that any assistance animal will ever be
aggressive to a child, but our dogs are dedicated to their task of
helping their disabled partner and the distraction may be severe enough
that the disabled person could fall or otherwise be injured, depending
on the tasks the assistance animal does for the handler.
Please do
Explain to your child that the assistance dog is a special dog and his
working right now to help his partner and that he shouldn't be
distracted from his job.
Our assistance dogs still get time to be dogs and play.
Here Jake is at the beach, he LOVES water to the point of distraction, but will still work when I need him.
Do
not call, give commands to, whistle at, make noises at or attempt to
distract the assistance dog/animal in any way as this could cause
injury to the disabled partner and makes it difficult for the dog to
work properly if he is always looking for a person to play with. We
understand our dogs are not automatons and are living, thinking beings.
Do not feel sorry for our dogs... They do get time off to be a dog.
Even
though they may be "off duty" they are always ready to assist their
disabled handler. Dogs love Jobs. Your dog has to be left home alone
for hours at a time, do not feel sorry for our dogs for having to work.
They get to be with us 24/7, this is just where any well loved dog
wants to be!
*DO offer assistance with opening doors,
placing groceries onto counter, reaching high items from upper shelves,
etc., just as you would for anyone you see who may be having a
difficult time getting those things. Do not be surprised if they refuse
assistance. Our assistance dogs allow us to remain as independent as
possible and we hate to give up that feeling of independence just like
you do.
* Offer to help a disabled person with a service dog
just as you would offer to help anyone else you see that are in need of
assistance, do not be surprised however if they refuse help.
* Do NOT attempt in any way to distract the service dog/animal from their duties.
* Do not
interfere with a service dog or otherwise hinder his disabled partner.
By doing so you are committing a crime and can be sued or punished by
law.
* Do not refuse to allow a disabled person access to
normal goods and services because they use a Service dog/animal. Under
the ADA regulations a person with a specially trained service animal
has the same access rights as anyone else does. By refusing to allow a
team into your business or establishment you are setting yourself up to
be sued for monetary damages or charged with a crime under state or
federal law!
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