[nagdu] Rlease: New Service animal Hotline

Fri Apr 1 15:59:04 UTC 2011

Dear All,
    As members of this NAGDU sponsored list, I wanted to share this information with you first. Please feel free to circulate this message as widely as it is appropriate. Many thanks to Mike Hingson who serves as the Project manager for this excellent service and everyone who gave of their time, talent, and treasure to serve on the committees responsible for the project. This hotline is evolving and information on updates will be shared with the NAGDU List first. Please take a few minutes to check out the hotline and offer your input to us. Comments can be sent to

Info at NAGDU.ORG

If you are receiving this information as the result of a forwarded message and would like more information about the National Association of Guide Dog Users or would like to join the NAGDU discussion list, please visit our website 
HTTP://NAGDU.ORG

Fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala, President
National Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU)
National Federation of the Blind
813-626-2789
President at NAGDU.ORG
HTTP://WWW.NAGDU.ORG

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FROM: National Association of Guide Dog Users

DATE: March 13, 2011

TO: All Media

CONTACT: Marion Gwizdala

                     (813) 626-2789

                     President at NAGDU.ORG

GUIDE DOG ASSOCIATION LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE HOTLINE

            The National Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU), the leader in service animal advocacy, has launched an innovative new service. The NAGDU Education & Advocacy Hotline not only offers information about the legal rights of individuals who use service animals, it offers the option to speak with an advocate who is trained to resolve access denials. According to the new federal guidelines that took effect on March 15, 2011, , a service animal is "any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability". (28 CFR Part 35.104 & 28 CFR Part 36.104). The new regulations specifically state, "Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition." In an effort to further clarify its intent, the Department of Justice specifically states, "The crime deterrent effects of an animal's presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition." The new regulations concerning service animals follow this release.

            "We find that most access problems are the result of a lack of information," says Michael Hingson, the Association's Vice President who serves as Project Manager for the hotline. "This hotline is an excellent resource for accurate information."

            The NAGDU Education & Advocacy Hotline currently offers general information about service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),   as well as specific guidance concerning restaurants, taxicabs, and health care facilities. Callers needing immediate assistance can connect directly to a live trained advocate. Future plans for the hotline include summaries of each of the state laws concerning service animals, more industry specific information, and guidance in a variety of languages, such as Mandarin and Arabic. The Hotline is available anytime by calling, toll-free, 866-972-3647. 

            The NAGDU Education & Advocacy Hotline was created by a grant from the National Federation of the Blind's (NFB) Imagination Fund, as well as with contributions from the California and Florida Associations of Guide Dog Users. The National Association of Guide Dog Users is a strong and proud division of the NFB. NAGDU conducts public awareness campaigns on issues of guide dog use, provides advocacy support for guide dog handlers who face discrimination, supports effective legislation to protect the rights of service animal users, offers educational programs to school and civic organizations, and functions as an integral part of the National Federation of the Blind. For more information about the National Association of Guide Dog Users, you can visit their website at

HTTP://WWW.NAGDU.ORG

Or send an email message to 

Info at NAGDU.ORG

# # #

The following information is excerpted from

http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/titleII_2010/titleII_2010_integrated.htm

and

http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/titleIII_2010/titleIII_2010_integrated.htm

28 CFR part 35.104 & 28 CFR Part 36.104

Service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual's disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing non-violent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors. The crime deterrent effects of an animal's presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition.

28 CFR § 35.136 Service animals
(a) General. Generally, a public entity shall modify its policies, practices, or procedures to permit the use of a service animal by an individual with a disability. 

(b) Exceptions. A public entity may ask an individual with a disability to remove a service animal from the premises if- 

(1) The animal is out of control and the animal's handler does not take effective action to control it; or 

(2) The animal is not housebroken. 

(c) If an animal is properly excluded. If a public entity properly excludes a service animal under § 35.136(b), it shall give the individual with a disability the opportunity to participate in the service, program, or activity without having the service animal on the premises. 

(d) Animal under handler's control. A service animal shall be under the control of its handler. A service animal shall have a harness, leash, or other tether, unless either the handler is unable because of a disability to use a harness, leash, or other tether, or the use of a harness, leash, or other tether would interfere with the service animal's safe, effective performance of work or tasks, in which case the service animal must be otherwise under the handler's control (e.g., voice control, signals, or other effective means). 

(e) Care or supervision. A public entity is not responsible for the care or supervision of a service animal. 

(f) Inquiries. A public entity shall not ask about the nature or extent of a person's disability, but may make two inquiries to determine whether an animal qualifies as a service animal. A public entity may ask if the animal is required because of a disability and what work or task the animal has been trained to perform. A public entity shall not require documentation, such as proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal. Generally, a public entity may not make these inquiries about a service animal when it is readily apparent that an animal is trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability (e.g., the dog is observed guiding an individual who is blind or has low vision, pulling a person's wheelchair, or providing assistance with stability or balance to an individual with an observable mobility disability). 

(g) Access to areas of a public entity. Individuals with disabilities shall be permitted to be accompanied by their service animals in all areas of a public entity's facilities where members of the public, participants in services, programs or activities, or invitees, as relevant, are allowed to go. 

(h) Surcharges. A public entity shall not ask or require an individual with a disability to pay a surcharge, even if people accompanied by pets are required to pay fees, or to comply with other requirements generally not applicable to people without pets. If a public entity normally charges individuals for the damage they cause, an individual with a disability may be charged for damage caused by his or her service animal. 

(i) Miniature horses. 

(1) Reasonable modifications. A public entity shall make reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures to permit the use of a miniature horse by an individual with a disability if the miniature horse has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of the individual with a disability. 

(2) Assessment factors. In determining whether reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures can be made to allow a miniature horse into a specific facility, a public entity shall consider- 

(i) The type, size, and weight of the miniature horse and whether the facility can accommodate these features; 

(ii) Whether the handler has sufficient control of the miniature horse; 

(iii) Whether the miniature horse is housebroken; and 

(iv) Whether the miniature horse's presence in a specific facility compromises legitimate safety requirements that are necessary for safe operation. 

(C) Other requirements. Paragraphs 35.136 (c) through (h) of this section, which apply to service animals, shall also apply to miniature horses. 

28 CFR § 36.302 Modifications in policies, practices, or procedures.

(c) Service animals. 

(1) General. Generally, a public accommodation shall modify policies, practices, or procedures to permit the use of a service animal by an individual with a disability. 

(c)(2) Exceptions. A public accommodation may ask an individual with a disability to remove a service animal from the premises if: 

(i) The animal is out of control and the animal´s handler does not take effective action to control it; or 

(ii) The animal is not housebroken. 

(3) If an animal is properly excluded. If a public accommodation properly excludes a service animal under § 36.302(c)(2), it shall give the individual with a disability the opportunity to obtain goods, services, and accommodations without having the service animal on the premises. 

(4) Animal under handler´s control. A service animal shall be under the control of its handler. A service animal shall have a harness, leash, or other tether, unless either the handler is unable because of a disability to use a harness, leash, or other tether, or the use of a harness, leash, or other tether would interfere with the service animal´s safe, effective performance of work or tasks, in which case the service animal must be otherwise under the handler´s control (e.g., voice control, signals, or other effective means). 

(5) Care or supervision. A public accommodation is not responsible for the care or supervision of a service animal. 

(6) Inquiries. A public accommodation shall not ask about the nature or extent of a person´s disability, but may make two inquiries to determine whether an animal qualifies as a service animal. A public accommodation may ask if the animal is required because of a disability and what work or task the animal has been trained to perform. A public accommodation shall not require documentation, such as proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal. Generally, a public accommodation may not make these inquiries about a service animal when it is readily apparent that an animal is trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability (e.g., the dog is observed guiding an individual who is blind or has low vision, pulling a person´s wheelchair, or providing assistance with stability or balance to an individual with an observable mobility disability). 

(7) Access to areas of a public accommodation. Individuals with disabilities shall be permitted to be accompanied by their service animals in all areas of a place of public accommodation where members of the public, program participants, clients, customers, patrons, or invitees, as relevant, are allowed to go. 

(8) Surcharges. A public accommodation shall not ask or require an individual with a disability to pay a surcharge, even if people accompanied by pets are required to pay fees, or to comply with other requirements generally not applicable to people without pets. If a public accommodation normally charges individuals for the damage they cause, an individual with a disability may be charged for damage caused by his or her service animal. 

(9) Miniature horses. 

(i) A public accommodation shall make reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures to permit the use of a miniature horse by an individual with a disability if the miniature horse has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of the individual with a disability. 

(ii) Assessment factors. In determining whether reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures can be made to allow a miniature horse into a specific facility, a public accommodation shall consider - 

(A) The type, size, and weight of the miniature horse and whether the facility can accommodate these features; 

(B) Whether the handler has sufficient control of the miniature horse; 

(C) Whether the miniature horse is housebroken; and 

(D) Whether the miniature horse´s presence in a specific facility compromises legitimate safety requirements that are necessary for safe operation. 