[nagdu] What about registering service dogs with the DOJ?

Michael Hingson mike at michaelhingson.com
Tue Aug 20 20:31:25 UTC 2013


So what is the problem here?  We are concerned not about anything except
poorly behaved animals in public.  Yes some could break the law by
misrepresenting their animals as service oriented when they are not, but the
only time it is REALLY an issue is when the animal misbehaves.

While in a perfect world no onewould misrepresent their animal we aren't
going to get that.  In a perfect world no guide dog user will have a poorly
behaved guide dog.  We don't get that either.

If it is a choice between finding a way to register me and/or Africa on the
one hand and having stiffer laws and not bothering with some well behaved
misrepresented non-service animals on the other I will take the latter.  I
do not condone law-breaking, but I choose not to worry about those who
misrepresent their animals, but who not bother anyone.

Again, the burden should not be on me or my dog.  The burden of proof MUST
and SHOULD be on the law breakers. 


Best,


Michael Hingson

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Snow White Dove
Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 12:57 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] What about registering service dogs with the DOJ?

Hi,

I'm sorry if I offend anyone, but how can we make sure that service dogs are
legitimate if we don't have some way to certify them.  

You can't have it both ways.  How would you penalize people with dogs that
aren't legitimate service dogs without some sort of putting them to the
test.

I personally would have no problem with having my fogs certified if it cuts
down on fraudulent service animals.

JMO,

Jenny
On Aug 20, 2013, at 10:32 AM, "Margo Downey and Arrow"
<margo.downey at verizon.net> wrote:

> I do not think we need to register our dogs with the DOJ. I'm 
> wondering why there is so much focus on the dogs themselves and 
> legitimate handlers, including owner-trainers.  We need to have stiff 
> penalties for those who fraudulently use dogs as service animals who are
not service animals.
> 
> I also disagree with certification testing and evaluations.  We have 
> gone over and over this for a long time.  Certification evaluations 
> would serve no great purpose.
> 
> Margoa ndArrow
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Michael 
> Hingson
> Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 8:41 AM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] What about registering service dogs with the DOJ?
> 
> Again, why?  This is really about you and me having rights, not the
animal.
> The present regulations under the ADA offer a way to  determine 
> whether or not an aanimal fits the requirements.  If there is a 
> suspicion that the animal is not a service animal then something can be
done.
> 
> I submit that the penalties for fraudulent representation by 
> individuals of service animals is the real problem.  We need federal 
> and state laws changed to make it a felany to misrepresent and 
> interfere with legitimate service animals.  I do NOT want ANY new
identification process for me or my dog.
> The problem and burden of proof should not be with me nor you.  The 
> burden should fall and the criminals.
> 
> There is abundant proof that owner trained animals can and do function 
> well as guides.  How are they going to be included in any identification
process?
> If the standards of the International Federation of Guide Dog Schools 
> are used how will non-accredited schools such as Pilot Dogs going to 
> be represented?  Do we want the NFB to be the gating organization?  I 
> think no to all of these things.
> 
> Put the burden on the criminals and make the consiquences stiff.  If 
> we want true first class citizenship then let's demand that we be 
> treated appropriately and not segregated off through some additional 
> identification or classification process which only serves to again 
> make us seem different and not part of the norm.
> 
> 
> Best,
> 
> 
> Michael Hingson
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mardi 
> Hadfield
> Sent: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 5:30 AM
> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [nagdu] What about registering service dogs with the DOJ?
> 
> First of all I am not in favor of any type of certification. I do 
> think registration identification might be the way to go.If the DOJ 
> could be in charge of handing out a specific type of service dog tag 
> at a fee of say,
> $10 to register your service dog.Say you must have a letter from your 
> doctor that you do indeed have a disability and a certificate from 
> your trainer,or in the case of an owner trainer,a log of the hours of 
> training you accomplished and a list of the tasks the dog does to 
> mitigate your disability,and or maybe the Canine Good Citizen test in 
> order to register with the DOJ.If you have a School trained dog and 
> wanted to register with the DOJ, maybe the school ID would be the only 
> proof you would need for registration.This would not be mandatory, but 
> only if you wanted to register your service dog.I don't think that 
> people who fake their dogs would go through all that for a 
> registration ID tag.This would Identify a DOJ registered service 
> dog.There might be some fakes that get through but it would certainly 
> cut down on them.If the tag were to get lost, a fee of
> $5 could be charged to get a replacement tag.This is merely a suggestion.
> Mardi and Shaman and Neechee,GDIT.
> 
> --
> http://wolfsinger-lakota.blogspot.com/
> http://wolfsinger2-thegoldendragon.blogspot.com
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