[nagdu] Fake Service Dogs

[Natalie]

It is unfortunate that people can always dress their dogs up and claim 
they're service dogs, but they're not, and then get all litigation-happy on 
a business.  Also, glad to see Andi Krusoe putting her voice in for myself 
and other GDA grads, as well as for those of other schools.  Oftentimes 
people comment on how well-behaved my guide dog is, as he should be.  I feel 
good when people are agasp, saying, "I didn't know that dog was even there."
Best,
Nat and Liam Joshua

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ginger Kutsch" <GingerKutsch at yahoo.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 03, 2011 7:37 AM
Subject: [nagdu] Fake Service Dogs


> Fake Service Dogs
>
> Reported by: Chris Womack Email: cwomak at cbs42.com
>
> Published: 11/02
>
>
>
> BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)- People with disabilities often rely on service 
> dogs
> to help them go about their daily lives; but, not all service dogs are 
> what
> they appear to be.
>
>
>
> Janet Skotnicki uses her service dog Splash to help her walk.  An 
> autoimmune
> disorder causes Janet trouble maintaining her balance.  Enter Splash, a
> Great Dane, who wears a harness and acts like a mobile handrail.  "He's
> given me my freedom back, which means the world to me.  He's a great
> blessing," she says.
>
>
>
> It takes serious training for a new-born puppy to mature into a service 
> dog.
> Hickory Nut Kennels in Cullman trains service dogs, with canines all over
> the southeast assisting those with disabilities.  "It starts from the time
> they're born, [with] the socialization.  Then we go through the puppy
> training, the basic obedience, and then after 6 to 8 months of age they go
> into the specific task training.  That's whatever they have to do for 
> their
> person," says Liz Walls, part-owner of the kennel.
>
>
>
> All people love their dogs.  People who use service dogs, however, depend 
> on
> them.  Because of that dependence, they're allowed to take their dogs into
> restaurants and other businesses that other animals are not allowed. 
> Across
> the country, however, people are dressing their dogs up as service animals
> to get them access into these places.  "I speak to people, almost on a 
> daily
> basis, business owners who are having problems with this, other service 
> dog
> users and so forth," says Andi Krusoe with Guide Dogs of America.
>
>
>
> The dastardly deed goes almost uncontested.  Because of ADA guidelines,
> business owners are back into  a corner.  Krusoe says it can be tough to
> detirmine a real service dog because they are not required to wear a
> harness, jacket, or any other form of identification.  It puts restaurant
> owners like Andrea Snyder, who founded Urban Cookhouse in downtown 
> Homewood,
> in a bind.  "We will ask them, 'Is your dog a service dog?'  They aren't
> required to show us an ID.  As long as they tell us, 'Yes it is,' they're
> allowed.  Non-service dogs are not allowed," she says.
>
>
>
> It doesn't stop there.  Some owners are being ransomed like they're in an
> old western film.  "We've had situations where people bring their dogs in
> and they'll be told to take their dogs outside, and  they'll say, 'No, 
> this
> is my service dog and if you don't give me this amount of money, I'm going
> to sue you.'"  And they end up making a deal and giving them money," says
> Krusoe.
>
>
>
> The only defense a business owner has, is if the dog misbehaves.  "We call
> them bomb-proof, because they have to be out in the public, and on buses,
> and in malls, stores, resaurants, and they have to be extremely well
> behaved," says Krusoe.  If the dog does not behave this way, then the 
> owner
> can ask the person to take their dog outside.  Until then, the only resort
> for legitimate service dog users like Janet Skotnicki, is to plead with
> these atrocious abusers.  "You need to stop doing that because you're 
> going
> to make it more difficult for other people."
>
>
>
> Source:
>
> http://www.cbs42.com/content/localnews/story/Fake-Service-Dogs/68a13VVlkEia_
> MHIEjH2SA.cspx
>
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