[nagdu] Fake service dogs news story

[Ann Edie]

Hi, Linda,

The logic behind news stories such as this one never ceases to amaze me! 
Can someone please explain to me how banning rabbits as service animals is 
going to have any effect on the number of pit bulls, Yorkies, and Chihuahuas 
being fraudulently claimed as service animals?

And, while you say that "service dog" tags are not required by California to 
gain public access with a service animal, the article clearly tells the 
public--and managers of places of public accommodation--the exact opposite, 
"Lt. Dan DeSousa of the San Diego County Animal Shelter told 10News that 
California requires all service dogs wear a special tag, which can be 
obtained at your local animal shelter by filling out a form."  Who is John 
Q. Public going to believe, Linda G. who claims that she has the right under 
the ADA to take her "service dog" into any public place on just her say-so 
that the dog performs tasks to mitigate her disability, or Lt. Dan DeSousa, 
(who sounds like an *official* law enforcement officer to me), and who 
clearly states that California requires that a dog be wearing "service dog" 
tags which can be obtained at your local animal shelter in order for the 
person to be granted public access?

What good does it do to state on an e-mail list populated by guide dog users 
who already presumably know their rights under the ADA, that "Service dog" 
tags are not required for public access, while Lt. Dan DeSousa is quoted in 
the public media stating the exact opposite?  Perhaps you should try to 
interest the TV news organization in airing a debate on the subject of 
public access by persons with disabilities accompanied by service animals 
between Lt. Dan DeSousa and yourself or some other representative of the 
disability community.  And perhaps they should also include a user of a 
service rabbit and a non-disabled person who has fraudulently obtained a 
"service dog" tag for his/her pet pit bull in the debate as well.

It is truly an Alice Through the Looking Glass World we live in!

Best,
Ann

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Linda Gwizdak" <linda.gwizdak at cox.net>
To: "NFBnet NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, November 23, 2009 10:23 PM
Subject: [nagdu] Fake service dogs news story


> Hi All,
> Here below is an article from a newsstory aired last night on San Diego's 
> KGTV Channel 10.  It was a good piece and I wanted to share it with you.
>
> The service animal tags issued by SD Animal Control is NOT required to 
> have our guide dogs admitted into public places.  Some of us have them and 
> some don't. Under ADA these tags can't be the determining factor in order 
> to admit a service dog - it just lets the public know that the dog has 
> been registered with the County of San Diego as a service dog.
>
> We experience the problem of these dogs mentioned in the story all the 
> time. One of my friends was getting off the bus when a "service dog" 
> lunged and growled not only at her guide dog, but at several passengers! 
> The bus driver did nothing about this.  He was probably afraid of being 
> sued under ADA.
>
> I personally have encountered these nasty dogs on the bus and in public 
> buildings.  It sure is scary when all of a sudden you hear this menacing 
> dog near you!
>
> I hope the new ADA regs will help get rid of this problem.
>
> Linda and Landon
>
> Loopholes Allow Pets to Be Taken Anywhere
> SAN DIEGO -- We all love our pets but some people are willing to break the 
> law so they can take their dogs with them everywhere they go. 10News 
> reporter Rachel Bianco investigated San Diego's canine companion 
> controversy and how it threatens the rights of people who are truly 
> disabled.
>
> Sady the miniature daschund doesn't look like your typical service dog 
> nor -- with her jumping and barking -- does she act like one, but when she 
> wore a service dog vest and badge she had no trouble getting into North 
> County restaurants.
>
> Tami Michaels has a legitimate disability and a legitimate service dog. 
> She said that when Fido is a fake it poses a real problem.
>
>
>
> "A lot of them don't have the right temperament to be out in public," 
> Michaels said. "So, when I go in with my dog to a grocery store or a 
> restaurant, often times these kinds of dogs will lunge and growl and snap 
> at my dog."
>
> But snapping dogs aren't the only problem. "I've seen a lot more suspicion 
> from people where they automatically assume you are trying to pull 
> something over on them," Michaels added.
>
> Lt. Dan DeSousa of the San Diego County Animal Shelter told 10News that 
> California requires all service dogs wear a special tag, which can be 
> obtained at your local animal shelter by filling out a form. The only 
> problem, DeSousa said, is that there is no way to follow up on the 
> answers.
>
> DeSousa said that when someone applies for a service dog tag the only 
> question they have to answer is if the animal is trained to perform a task 
> for the person. There is no way to verify that what they're saying is 
> true.
>
> "Doctors notes and disablities, that's off limits to us," DeSousa said, 
> "we can't ask about that, so we have to take people at their word."
>
> So far this year, the county has issued the most service dog tags -- 43 --  
> to labradors. Chihuahuas came in second with 37 tags, beating golden 
> retrievers which had 25.
>
> Also curiously high on the list: yorkshire terriers, pit bulls, and pugs.
>
> "There are people who want this tag just so they can take their dog 
> wherever they want to, so they can take it into the stores, restaurants 
> and things like that," said DeSousa.
>
> "A lot of people really just don't see anyting wrong with it I guess," 
> Michaels said. "They just really don't understand how much it hurts 
> legitimate service dog teams."
>
> Having a fake service animal is a misdemeanor fraud punishable by six 
> months in jail or a $1,000 fine but the San Diego Sheriff's Department 
> told 10News that it has never been enforced.
>
> Right now it is simply too hard to tell whether the canine is a con.
>
> The U.S. Justice Department is currently looking to tighten the rules for 
> service animals. The new guidelines under review would exclude reptiles, 
> amphibians, rodents, farm animals, ferrets and rabbits. A final decision 
> is expected by the end of the year.
> Copyright 2009 by 10News.com. All rights reserved. This material may not 
> be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed
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