[nagdu] Florida: Is your pet really a service animal? Bill makes it a crime to lie about it

Tracy Carcione carcione at access.net
Tue Dec 16 18:54:23 UTC 2014


Hi Robert.
As I understand it, if I make an itemized tax return, and have receipts, I
can claim guide dog-related expenses, such as vet visits, food, and such.
Tracy
> Hello:
>
> I am briefly materializing from the mists of obscurity to request
> clarification as regards tax exemption for service animals, as mentioned
> in the below message. What benefits would such entail for a service animal
> user? You'll have to forgive my limited capability for imagination this
> morning, as I am currently awash in final exam studying. My guess is that
> purchases made in connection with a service animal (food, equipment, etc.)
> will be exempt from taxation. Of course, a financial attorney I am not, so
> I thus may be woefully far from the mark.
> Intrigued,
> Robert Hooper
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Marion Gwizdala
> via nagdu
> Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2014 10:16 AM
> To: 'Ginger Kutsch'; 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of
> Guide Dog Users'
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Florida: Is your pet really a service animal? Bill
> makes it a crime to lie about it
>
> Representative Smith is also helping us tweak our tax exemption for
> service dogs which currently requires one to present an i.d. card from the
> Division of Blind services. Not all service dog users are clients of DBS
> and not all clients of DBS are service dog users. We will keep you abreast
> of our efforts in Florida.
>
> Fraternally yours,
> Marion Gwizdala
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ginger Kutsch
> via nagdu
> Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2014 8:26 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: [nagdu] Florida: Is your pet really a service animal? Bill makes
> it a crime to lie about it
>
> Florida: Is your pet really a service animal? Bill makes it a crime to lie
> about it
>
> Palm Beach Post - Blog
>
>  December 15, 2014      | Filed in: State House.
>
> Source URL:
> http://postonpolitics.blog.palmbeachpost.com/2014/12/15/is-your-pet-really-a-service-animal-bill-makes-it-a-crime-to-lie-about-it/
>
>
>
> Trying to pass your family pet off as a service animal would be against
> the law under a bill proposed by Rep. Jimmie Smith, R-Inverness.
>
>
>
> “I love that people love their animals and want to take them with
> them,” said Smith. But when people bring their pet into restaurants and
> businesses pretending it is a service animal and that animal misbehaves,
> “it distracts from people’s trust in what a service dog is.”
>
>
>
> Smith filed a similar bill last year after he was approached by disability
> rights groups about the increase in pet owners claiming their pet is a
> service animal. The bill failed when it was not called up for a committee
> hearing.
>
>
>
> Smith said he tweaked this year’s bill, HB 71, after he spoke with
> representatives of restaurant, entertainment and business trade groups.
>
>
>
> Although much of the bill reiterates rights and rules included in the
> Americans with Disabilities Act, in also makes misrepresenting your pet as
> a service animal a second-degree misdemeanor.
>
>
>
> The punishment: 30 hours of community service for an organization that
> assists the disabled or other group decided by a judge. The community
> service must be completed within six months.
>
>
>
> “It’s so easy to basically defraud the system,” Smith said. “All
> you have to do is buy a vest or tags and when you’re challenged you say,
> “talk to my lawyer.””
>
>
>
> To combat that defense, Smith’s bill also includes two questions that
> businesses can ask: Is the animal a service animal required because of a
> disability? What tasks has the animal been trained to perform?
>
>
>
> The bill also defines service animal to apply to dogs and miniature
> horses, not flying squirrels or other animals.
>
>
>
> “One amusement park said someone came in with a flying squirrel and
> claimed it was a service animal,” Smith said, adding that the law is
> specifically intended to protect those with invisible disabilities, such
> as PTSD, allergies, diabetes and vertigo
>
>
>
> “It’s quite apparent some are not service animals.”
>
>
>
> Text of Florida HB71 is located at:
>
> http://myfloridahouse.com/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=53081
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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