The ADA just came out with a Frequently Asked Questions Publication to update and clarify the laws about Service Dogs.

I think it would help people understand the differences between task trained Service Dogs and Emotional Support Animals.

Here is the link to the PDF.

http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html

Hope this helps.

I had just adopted a French bulldog a few months before I started this thread. I had a difficult landlord at the time that had never allowed tenants to have a dog in one of his properties, although several tenants had them anyways. He allowed me to have her because he didn't want to lose me as a tenant. I certainly could have claimed she was an ESA, but it was easier to handle it the way I did.

I moved out of the area about 6 months later, for a variety of reasons, but being able to have a yard for her was one. She is very sensitive to my flares and is absolutely careful with my bad limb. In 2 and a 1/2 years she has never bumped into my bad limb... --She even provides desensitization exercises by licking my original CRPS site, lol.

When you're hypersensitive it's very easy to avoid touching other people. I simply can't avoid it with my velcro dog, and I do think this helps with depression from isolation. I was lucky that my mom found her at the pound and allowed me to have her when she realized how sensitive she was, and the perfect fit for my needs at the time. I do feel that a dog that's at least a few years old is a good idea, because their personalities are already formed and hopefully you can get an idea if they'll be a good fit for you with limited interaction.

So, in short, Service Animals, ESAs, and just plain old pets can enrich our lives substantially.

I have a GSD I am training as my service dog for my CRPS and can use any information out there.

Hi daylilyfan,

It's very nice of you to cover so much information.

There are differences, as you have pointed out, between states re: service animals and housing regulations. Not every state has laws which support, or are in compliance with the federal ADA/HUD regulations. Since this is the case, a landlord can challenge a service dog on the premises in the state without laws/regulations in alignment with the ADA/HUD regulations, etc.

It can be a big job to bring a state into compliance. If anyone has this as a goal, I'd strongly suggest using a team approach to getting this done in your state. For the most part, disability law projects will support these changes, as these changes benefit the disabled. Thus, disability law projects are a great resource for legal support/legal strategy in meeting this goal.

You had mentioned educating people in stores you frequent, etc. What a great idea. Some of the service animal organizations have had brochures which have been helpful for this.

When I had my service animal, which I had also trained to service tasks, I took her to area malls and restaurants, etc, to educate the staff in these places. It was critical to make sure the mall security office and security force was up on the service animal laws. I would make appointments with the store/restaurant managers. I had literature and my dog. I was not paid to do this. I had wanted to help to pave the way for people just starting out with service animals.

There is a great deal of information out on the internet.
There is a lot of misinformation, as well. I hear therapists ill-advising their clients, telling their clients about their absolute rights with service animals, with companion animals, with emotional support animals. It's rare such absolutes exist. Please be sure to do your research before you get a dog to train, if training your own. I have seen too many people get erroneous information, including from ill-advised psychotherapists, and then have to give up their dog, which has been devastating.

Regarding housing issues, if you rent your housing, please check your state laws regarding whether or not landlords must accept service animals, emotional support animals, companion animals-- and under which circumstances and in which types of housing, etc. It's more complicated than it appears at first.

Federal regulations trump Service Animal Public Access/Public Accommodations issues.

Federal regulations do not necessarily trump any state housing regulations, etc. Again, please check your state's laws/regulations.

Daylilyfan has also mentioned the IAADP. Great organization. Great resource for anyone interested in Service Animal training, laws, regulations, etc.

Nice job, daylilyfan, sharing so much information.
You are quite an ambassador.
You have made it easy for me to simply fall in behind you and support you.


DejaVu

This is an interesting thread.
Thanks so much for starting this topic.

I agree with you. Our relationships with animals can assist with our daily coping and our healing. While people tend to focus on Service Animals, it's true ... ESAs can be so very helpful. While ESAs often do not enjoy the public access protections of laws protecting the rights of service animals to enter stores, restaurants, public places, they can be adequate and so very helpful in the role of an ESA or a companion animal.

I've had a friend be suddenly convinced, by a very unbalanced therapist, that my friend had needed a Service Animal, immediately. As I was talking with my friend, I had asked why she'd felt she'd needed a service animal? This friend had come to talk with me about this, as she knew I had trained service animals in the past, etc. I had been friends with this person and this person had no limitations in traveling, in public places, etc. In fact, this person travels nationally and internationally with no problems at all. She has so much fun on her trips. This was all very strange. The therapist had convinced her she'd needed the service animal as a companion (?) on these trips and had additionally convinced my friend the airlines would have to remove a seat for the dog on international trips, etc. It was clear to me the therapist was not only confused about the definitions and roles (and laws) pertaining to the various roles of support animals, this therapist was also making the person much more dependent than the person had ever been prior to meeting the therapist.

The therapist was clearly misinformed and was also misinforming her clients. In this state, a doctor, a therapist, a social worker can write a letter qualifying their clients for either a service animal or an ESA (if in some types of rental housing and not allowed to have animals on the premises). However, it's not a free-for-all. The therapist had no clue as to the state or federal laws/regulations and seemingly no clue as to the needs of her own clients' true needs. I had been asked to meet with a few people after they had been misinformed by some local therapists. It can set someone up for ongoing hardship to prescribe a service animal, when an ESA is truly adequate. Some people lose their animals because they have been very misinformed. Sad.

I spent a lot of time explaining the differences in the capacities, and the training of the animals. Lots of extra costs and extra responsibilities can come with Service Animals. I had strongly encouraged my friend to settle for an ESA, as this was in her best interest and fully serves her needs.

This is a very important topic. It's critically important everyone does due diligence in researching the truths about the laws and regulations, both federally and within their own state of residence... before securing an animal.
Do not fully trust the (mis)interpretations of some of the people serving in roles where they are allowed to prescribe/verify the need of an animal acting in a given capacity. You may be in a position of having to give up your animal if you don't make sure you fully understand the truth about the criteria, the roles, the laws/regulations.



DejaVu

Hello,
I would love to get some more information from you, as well as your input to help point me in the right direction. I have a fantastic, sweet hearted pitbull that I rescued as a baby and I really think that she would be perfect.She is 4 now(we think), solid muscle and is nicknamed my shadow because where I am she is. My White Sheperd/Lab Mix has been my service dog for over a decade now but shes getting up there in age. And is extremely protective of me ever since I became completely wheelchair dependent, I just don't want to push her, I'd rather her enjoy her last years and start training my pit to take over. I appreciate your information and time. I look forward to chatting with you.
-KNottYwHeeLz