[nagdu] ADA definition of service animals

[Bridget Walker]

Hi all,
I think that sums it up. 
I have a question. 
I know there are medical alert dogs trained for disorders such as epilepsy, diabetes, and other major health disorders which impact an individuals daily life. 
So if an individual trains specifically their pet to be a medical alert dog and a therapy dog yes two different types of dogs do you believe that dog is a service dog under the ADA?
I know for a fact therapy dogs are dogs who provide comfort so, they do not fit the criteria. How can a dog be both? 
It is like me saying my guide is a medical alert dog because he knows where my medication is in my bag. The true reality is my guide dog could not help me if I needed it. He can not administer the medication in fact the only reason he knows where it is is for when I don't remember.
I keep asking this question and I will keep on it until it is spelt out and clear. I am wondering who is it that determines if a dog can be a working dog if the dog does not have an official dog trainer? What I mean is if a fifteen year old trains a medical alert dog can they say it is a service  dog without any clear cut testing? 
If someone has a dog who was originally certified as a therapy dog can they train the dog to do a task which is covered under the ADA?
There are way to many gray areas which I can not believe. 
It seems like every time I go out I run in to someone passing off their dog as some type of service  dog.  I went to the pharmacy the other day and some person had a little dog on a leash. No harness or vest nothing saying the dog was assisting them in any way.  Then the person behind the counter was trying to understand how could one dog be clearly marked as a guide dog but, who knows why the other dog was needed.
That's my rant for the day.
Best,
Bridget




Sent from my iPad

> On Dec 30, 2013, at 2:11 PM, craig.heaps at comcast.net wrote:
> 
> Here's one sentence from the government's ada website: 
> http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm 
> 
> "Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA." 
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> 
> From: "Lori Dent" <loriandleo at ohiohills.com> 
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org> 
> Sent: Monday, December 30, 2013 10:30:00 AM 
> Subject: [nagdu] ADA definition of service animals 
> 
> Hi all, 
> 
> I'm hearing  more and more about dogs being allowed in public places that help people deal with stress, anziety and oather reasons that as far as I know that does not meet the definition. 
> 
> I know of one person who suffers from extreme stress in public  and she brings her Chihuahua  mix with her where ever she goes. Her doctor prescribed the dog and the woman claims her dog is a"medical necessity". 
> 
> I was just wondering if the ADA has a clear cut definition of  of a service animal.There have been a couple of articles in the paper about what a service animal is. In today's Hints from Heloise she was talking about service animals. What I got from the article is some confusion about this issue. Is there anything in the ADA that is not clear cut and open the door for other purposes? 
> 
> Lori and the Gipper 
> _______________________________________________ 
> nagdu mailing list 
> nagdu at nfbnet.org 
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org 
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu: 
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/craig.heaps%40comcast.net 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/bridgetawalker13%40aol.com