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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Central Florida Animal Service organizations angered over online vest controversy<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Groups say easily obtained animal service vests are growing concern<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Author: Janelle Jordan, Reporter, jjordan@wkmg.com<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Published On: May 29 2013 06:51:11 PM EDT Updated On: May 30 2013 06:09:01 AM EDTURL: http://www.clickorlando.com/news/central-florida-animal-service-organizations-angered-over-online-vest-controversy/-/1637132/20349164/-/m54icwz/-/index.html<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>ORANGE CITY, Fla. - Some Central Florida animal service organizations are upset over just how easy it has become to get animal service vest online.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>One organization getting a lot of attention for selling online service animal patches and vests is “Free My Paws.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Free My Paws President Jason Michaels tells Local 6 they are limited in the types of questions they can ask on their website, to determine whether an animal is really a service animal.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Our product is only intended to be used by people who are legally qualified. We welcome any legislation that would clarify the definition of a service animal for the disabled and the businesses who serve them," said Michaels.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>It's become a growing concern for local service organizations like New Horizons Service Dogs in Orange City.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>"It's an embarrassment, it gives organizations such as ours a bad name," said New Horizons founder Janet Severt.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Severt says the controversy is having a negative impact on individuals who need their service animals to be allowed into places that most pets can't go.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>"I've had people come up to my clients and say, 'you can't bring that dog in here, because yesterday there was a yappy thing in there that someone is claiming is a service dog, that isn't,'" she said.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Both sides agree the laws in place protecting the disabled aren't clear enough to avoid abuse, leaving online buyers to purchase, based on the honor system.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>"It’s hard because there is no certification process," said Severt. “It gives the who industry, the good people and the people trying to do it right, a bad name."<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>