[nagdu] Florida Law...go Florida!

[Applebutter Hill]

Hurray for Florida! Yes, it's a minor crime, but as Marion said, you can't
enforce a law if there isn't one. What I hope happens is a massive PR
campaign in Florida to let people know that pretending a pet is a service
dog is now illegal. There are good people out there who know that their
friends, relatives or neighbors are doing this. Give them the insentive to
mention it to them or report them.
Donna & Hunter

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Buddy Brannan via
nagdu
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2015 7:55 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Cc: Buddy Brannan
Subject: [nagdu] Florida Law...go Florida!

Can the rest of the country catch up now please? Yes, I commented in my
usual fashion.

http://www.winknews.com/2015/06/17/fl-law-makes-using-fake-service-dogs-a-cr
iminal-offense/

Florida law makes using fake service dogs a criminal offense

Local & State
FORT MYERS, Fla.-  A new law could put someone in jail for using a fake
service dog.

WINK News sat down with ADA advocate Michael Pierce who is legally blind. He
uses a service dog, named Addy, to travel.

"I screamed," said Pierce.

Pierce says he, and other ADA advocates, have been fighting for this bill
for a long time.

"Think about the people who really need the dogs," said Pierce.

If caught, someone could face up to 60 days in jail, along with a $500 fine.
To figure out if the dog is real or fake, business owners can only ask two
questions.

"The only questions that can really be asked of them are: is this a service
animal and if so, what is this service animal trained to do?" said lawyer
Jason Quick. "Once the person asserts this is a service animal, there's
really no way for a business owner to verify whether or not this is true."

Hard, but not impossible.

"Probably the way this would come up is if the animal were to destroy
property, attack someone or to be some type of incident, and it would be
investigated," said Quick.

Pierce says he knows the law will deter liars, and has advice on how to spot
a fake.

"If it's very calm, and docile, and follows the commands it's given, then
it's a trained service dog. If it's barking, jumping around, then it's
probably not trained," said Pierce.

The law was signed by Governor Rick Scott on June 11 and will go into effect
on July 1.

It will also make it a second degree misdemeanor for business owners to
prevent a disabled person from bringing a service dog inside.

Pierce says, if you have any concerns, call the local ADA office at 239-
260-4575.

--
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
Phone: 814-860-3194
Mobile: 814-431-0962
Email: buddy at brannan.name





_______________________________________________
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/applebutterhill%40gmail.c
om