[NAGDU] Reining in fake service animals

[Sarah Calhoun]

EDITORIAL: Reining in fake service animals 

JEFFERSON CITY NEWS TRIBUNE

It's a sad commentary on today's society, but Missouri needs to pass
legislation aimed at curbing the increase of fake service animals.

 

Rep. Chrissy Sommer, R-St. Charles, has proposed a bill that would make it a
Class C misdemeanor to "knowingly misrepresent a dog as a service dog."
Subsequent

violations would constitute Class B misdemeanors.

 

The Americans with Disabilities Act allows accommodations for people with
certain needs/disabilities to have service animals. They help the blind as
well

as people with medical conditions, psychiatric or developmental
disabilities. They detect blood sugar problems with diabetics. They also
serve as emotional

support animals.

 

It's this last category that's often abused. It's typically dogs that are
the vehicles for abusing the law, but we've seen stories about everything
from

emotional support coyotes to squirrels to ducks.

 

The New York Times reported in 2011 that the National Service Animal
Registry, a for-profit company that sells official-looking vests and
certificates

for owners, had 2,400 service and emotional support animals in its registry.
As of last summer, the number was nearly 200,000, 

the paper reported.

 

Other states have implemented or are looking to implement bills similar to
the one Missouri is considering.

 

The problem is twofold.

 

First, abusing ADA accommodations for service animals casts doubt on the use
of service animals in general. Real service animals are well-trained and
serve

an important need.

 

Second, the use of fake service animals often poses - at the very least - an
inconvenience to people on buses, in restaurants and other public places
where

such animals are allowed. At most, it can be dangerous to people in public
places. In one instance, at least, someone was reportedly mauled by a
"service

dog" that wasn't trained to be a service dog.

 

We believe Sommer's bill can help with this growing problem, and we hope the
legislature gives it swift passage.

 

Copyright Jefferson City News Tribune. 

 

 

 

Denny Huff

Gateway FT Blind LLC.

PO Box 515

St. Clair, MO  63077

 

Office: (636) 428-1500

Fax: (314) 558-0298

 

Email: Denny Huff <mailto:denny at gatewayfortheblind.com> 

Gateway For the Blind LLC. <http://www.gatewayfortheblind.com/> 

 

The Gateway To Independence

 

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