[Oagdu] Summary of new VA rules per guide dogs/Service Dogs

[Aleeha Dudley]

These guidelines refer to the VA, which has a completely different set of rules. 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Aug 20, 2015, at 9:35 AM, Megan Schief via Oagdu <oagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Our hospital in Oberlin even allows people who have pets, to come visit them.
> I use my dog at the hospital to visit friends and never have had one quest
> asked.
> Me and Ms. P.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hi all,
>> I saw this on another list, so wanted to pass it along to you all as
>> well.
>> Deanna
>> 
>> Forwarded message:
>> 
>> The general intent is to make going into a VA hospital with a service dog
>> as an outpatient or a Visitor very similar to visiting a regular public
>> hospital which is governed by the ADA. The rules are not identical but
>> they are a lot closer than they used to be.
>> 
>> 
>> 1) no prenotification will be required for these types of visits.
>> 
>> 
>> 2) no special certification or equipment will be required for the dog.
>> 
>> 
>> 3) the same rules will apply regardless of who trained the dog or the type
>> of disability the dog is trained to mitigate. So the same rules for a dog
>> trained to assist a person who is blind or a person who has PTSD or a
>> person who uses a wheelchair.
>> 
>> 
>> 4) The "under control" Standard will be very similar to the ADA. Voice
>> control will be allowed if the person's disability prevents using a leash.
>> Dogs who are not under the handler's control can be excluded.
>> 
>> 
>> 5) The areas and reasons in the hospital where the dog might be excluded
>> for day visitors are now pretty much identical to the ADA. In fact they
>> directly reference the ADA in a number of places.
>> 
>> 
>> 6) any breed of dog can be used as a service dog. However, the ADA does
>> allow miniature horses under some circumstances, and the VA will not allow
>> miniature horses as A service animal. Horses might be allowed for animal
>> therapy programs that's an entirely different issue.
>> 
>> 
>> 7) triad teams are recognized where the person with the disability is not
>> the same person who is the dog's handler. The VA is using the term
>> "alternate handler" for the situation.
>> 
>> 
>> 8) just like the ADA, the regulations do not extend to service dogs in
>> training or emotional support animals. The new VA regulations use the same
>> "work or tasks" language as the ADA and refer further to the ADA for
>> examples.
>> 
>> 
>> The biggest ongoing area of difference between the VA regulations and the
>> ADA regulations appears to be for residential treatment programs. This is
>> a complicated issue under the ADA as well, but the VA is Pretty much
>> saying out front they don't expect there to be any overlap with the fair
>> housing act type regulations and they're requiring some things like proof
>> of the dog's vaccinations. But they have moved from a 100% denial to a
>> consideration on a case-by-case basis if the dog is part of the patient's
>> written treatment plan.
>> 
>> 
>> Anyway, that's just a quick summary, so if you do you have any specific
>> questions look for more detailed resources. But it is quite a big change.
>> Prior to this, the VA left it up to each facility administrator to
>> establish their Service animal policy and there was a lot of variation.
>> Some VA facilities allowed only ADI/I GDF graduates, others allowed dogs
>> from other trainers but only after pre-registration and individual
>> interviews, some facilities had breed restrictions, some facilities had
>> diagnosis restrictions.
>> 
>> 
>> I personally am one of those who have said for a long time that I felt the
>> VA rules should be the same as the ADA rules so I am quite pleased to see
>> this shift.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> --
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> 
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