Lately, I've seen a lot of dogs wearing red service animal vests in public that were not behaving like service animals. I've also become aware of advertisements online offering a "kit" containing a service animal vest, fake credentials and certificates so that pet parents can "take your pets with you everywhere." Is that okay? What exactly is a service animal and why should you or I care?
In this article we're going to take a dive into the sometimes confusing terminology that separates service animals from emotional support and therapy animals. We'll also explore the important roles these animals play in the lives of millions of people. Stay with me 'til the end. I think you will enjoy learning more about this fascinating topic.
Service Animals
Currently, only dogs can legally be recognized as service animals. But, what is it that they do? According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, a service animal is a DOG. It can be any breed and any size of dog trained to perform a task directly related to a person’s disability. For example, a person who uses a wheelchair may have a dog that is trained to retrieve objects for them. A person with a mental illness like depression might have a dog that is trained to perform a task to remind them to take their medication. If the dog is performing a TASK that is beneficial to the person with a disability, and it was trained specifically for that task, then that dog can be considered a service animal.
You might be surprised to learn that a service animal is NOT required to wear a red service dog vest. However, this vest is very important for some animals to make the public aware that the dog is WORKING and should not be distracted. Generally, businesses and non-profits that are open to the public as well as state/local governments must allow service animals to go most places where the public can go. This is true even if they have a “no pets” policy.
So, here's where the problem comes in: Some pet parents will purchase a red service dog vest and pretend that their dog is a service animal so that they can have access to businesses where personal household pets are typically off limits. Since the household pet is not really performing a task, the pet parent may invite members of the public to pet and play with their animal which sends the WRONG message. Also, if the (fake service) animal is untrained and out of control, this is even worse as it makes life very difficult for people with disabilities that need their service animal to work for them without distraction. For example, if someone from the general public has mistaken a fake service animal for the real thing, they may try to interact with a REAL service dog while it is working. Another possibility is that after seeing an out-of-control animal wearing a red service dog vest, they may not want to allow service animals in public at all due to the expectation of bad behavior.
FAKE service animals create situations that are a lose - lose scenario for everyone, most notably the disabled.
At this point you might be wondering about animals wearing a blue vest. Those are emotional support animals. They do NOT have the same privileges as service animals because providing emotional support or comfort is not a task related to a person’s disability. An emotional support animal can be absolutely any species that provides comfort for the handler. A service animal can only be a DOG.
To be clear, if the dog’s mere presence provides comfort, then it is an emotional support animal. It is not a service animal under the ADA.
Since service animals can go anywhere to assist their human handler, they are also allowed on airplanes and all public transportation. Emotional support animals are required to obey the same rules as any other household pets when flying. They must remain in their carrier during the flight. The Air Carrier Access Act, not the ADA, protects the rights of people with disabilities in air travel. It is important to protect people with disabilities and their service animals. Therefore, any person violating those rights should be reported. For information or to file a complaint when traveling, contact the U.S. Department of Transportation, Aviation Consumer Protection Division: 202-366-2220.
A business or state/local government can ask someone to remove their service animal if:
Therapy Animals
Animal therapy or pet therapy refers to the use of animals as a way to help people cope with and recover from some physical and mental health conditions. Any type of animal can be chosen to do this work.
The goal of animal assisted therapy is to alleviate or help people with mental or physical conditions and cope with some symptoms of various conditions where possible. Animal therapy builds on a concept called the human-animal bond, which describes people’s desire to interact with and relate to animals. For many people, by interacting with a friendly animal, they can form a bond with them. This bond can produce a calming state in the person. Some of the goals of using a therapy animal are:
Some individuals that do not have a disability, but who may wish to help others, can train their own pets to be therapy animals. This is very rewarding volunteer work that not only helps other human beings, but it can be a wonderful opportunity for the pet as well. If this sounds interesting to you, then you may wish to contact an organization called Pets with a Mission. They are one of many all-volunteer, charity organizations dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals through interactions with our animal companions. Pets with a Mission works primarily with dogs, but there are many other groups working with other animals.
Finally, I want to leave you with a beautiful story about a VIP service dog's last flight on Southwest Airlines. These animals serve others their entire lives and deserve our deepest respect. I hope this video touches your heart and inspires you to consider the rights and beauty of this kind of animal. Enjoy:
Kaya the Service Dog - Last Flight
Cole and Kaya's Story
The human - animal bond is one that goes back for many, many generations. As we spend so much time interacting with our companions at home and in public, it is important to communicate our expectations about their behavior to them in a way that is fun and rewarding for all involved. For more information about teaching your own dog to be a Canine Good Citizen and perhaps trying some training as a therapy or service animal, I recommend this book:
Canine Good Citizen - The Official AKC Guide 2nd Edition by Mary R. Burch, PhD.
It will take you step-by-step through the 10 essential skills every dog should know. You'll have fun training your pet and your best friend will enjoy it, too!
For positive reinforcement during training, you'll want to keep a high value reward in your pocket or in a treat bag worn on your belt or around your waist. These air-dried treats are my absolute favorites because they are clean in your hand, healthy for pets and dogs go crazy for them:
Good Dog Rewards New Zealand Beef Recipe
Good Dog Rewards New Zealand Lamb Recipe
Good Dog Rewards New Zealand Venison Recipe
Did you enjoy this article about service, emotional support and therapy animals? What other topics would you like me to write about? Let me know in the comments below.
Lots of love and best wishes to you all and our animal friends!
In this article we're going to take a dive into the sometimes confusing terminology that separates service animals from emotional support and therapy animals. We'll also explore the important roles these animals play in the lives of millions of people. Stay with me 'til the end. I think you will enjoy learning more about this fascinating topic.
Service Animals
Currently, only dogs can legally be recognized as service animals. But, what is it that they do? According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, a service animal is a DOG. It can be any breed and any size of dog trained to perform a task directly related to a person’s disability. For example, a person who uses a wheelchair may have a dog that is trained to retrieve objects for them. A person with a mental illness like depression might have a dog that is trained to perform a task to remind them to take their medication. If the dog is performing a TASK that is beneficial to the person with a disability, and it was trained specifically for that task, then that dog can be considered a service animal.
You might be surprised to learn that a service animal is NOT required to wear a red service dog vest. However, this vest is very important for some animals to make the public aware that the dog is WORKING and should not be distracted. Generally, businesses and non-profits that are open to the public as well as state/local governments must allow service animals to go most places where the public can go. This is true even if they have a “no pets” policy.
So, here's where the problem comes in: Some pet parents will purchase a red service dog vest and pretend that their dog is a service animal so that they can have access to businesses where personal household pets are typically off limits. Since the household pet is not really performing a task, the pet parent may invite members of the public to pet and play with their animal which sends the WRONG message. Also, if the (fake service) animal is untrained and out of control, this is even worse as it makes life very difficult for people with disabilities that need their service animal to work for them without distraction. For example, if someone from the general public has mistaken a fake service animal for the real thing, they may try to interact with a REAL service dog while it is working. Another possibility is that after seeing an out-of-control animal wearing a red service dog vest, they may not want to allow service animals in public at all due to the expectation of bad behavior.
FAKE service animals create situations that are a lose - lose scenario for everyone, most notably the disabled.
At this point you might be wondering about animals wearing a blue vest. Those are emotional support animals. They do NOT have the same privileges as service animals because providing emotional support or comfort is not a task related to a person’s disability. An emotional support animal can be absolutely any species that provides comfort for the handler. A service animal can only be a DOG.
To be clear, if the dog’s mere presence provides comfort, then it is an emotional support animal. It is not a service animal under the ADA.
Since service animals can go anywhere to assist their human handler, they are also allowed on airplanes and all public transportation. Emotional support animals are required to obey the same rules as any other household pets when flying. They must remain in their carrier during the flight. The Air Carrier Access Act, not the ADA, protects the rights of people with disabilities in air travel. It is important to protect people with disabilities and their service animals. Therefore, any person violating those rights should be reported. For information or to file a complaint when traveling, contact the U.S. Department of Transportation, Aviation Consumer Protection Division: 202-366-2220.
A business or state/local government can ask someone to remove their service animal if:
- The dog is not housebroken.
- The dog is out of control, and the person cannot get the dog under control.
Therapy Animals
Animal therapy or pet therapy refers to the use of animals as a way to help people cope with and recover from some physical and mental health conditions. Any type of animal can be chosen to do this work.
The goal of animal assisted therapy is to alleviate or help people with mental or physical conditions and cope with some symptoms of various conditions where possible. Animal therapy builds on a concept called the human-animal bond, which describes people’s desire to interact with and relate to animals. For many people, by interacting with a friendly animal, they can form a bond with them. This bond can produce a calming state in the person. Some of the goals of using a therapy animal are:
- providing comfort and reducing levels of pain
- improving movement or motor skills
- developing social or behavioral skills
- increasing motivation toward activities such as exercise or interacting with others
Some individuals that do not have a disability, but who may wish to help others, can train their own pets to be therapy animals. This is very rewarding volunteer work that not only helps other human beings, but it can be a wonderful opportunity for the pet as well. If this sounds interesting to you, then you may wish to contact an organization called Pets with a Mission. They are one of many all-volunteer, charity organizations dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals through interactions with our animal companions. Pets with a Mission works primarily with dogs, but there are many other groups working with other animals.
Finally, I want to leave you with a beautiful story about a VIP service dog's last flight on Southwest Airlines. These animals serve others their entire lives and deserve our deepest respect. I hope this video touches your heart and inspires you to consider the rights and beauty of this kind of animal. Enjoy:
Kaya the Service Dog - Last Flight
Cole and Kaya's Story
The human - animal bond is one that goes back for many, many generations. As we spend so much time interacting with our companions at home and in public, it is important to communicate our expectations about their behavior to them in a way that is fun and rewarding for all involved. For more information about teaching your own dog to be a Canine Good Citizen and perhaps trying some training as a therapy or service animal, I recommend this book:
Canine Good Citizen - The Official AKC Guide 2nd Edition by Mary R. Burch, PhD.
It will take you step-by-step through the 10 essential skills every dog should know. You'll have fun training your pet and your best friend will enjoy it, too!
For positive reinforcement during training, you'll want to keep a high value reward in your pocket or in a treat bag worn on your belt or around your waist. These air-dried treats are my absolute favorites because they are clean in your hand, healthy for pets and dogs go crazy for them:
Good Dog Rewards New Zealand Beef Recipe
Good Dog Rewards New Zealand Lamb Recipe
Good Dog Rewards New Zealand Venison Recipe
Did you enjoy this article about service, emotional support and therapy animals? What other topics would you like me to write about? Let me know in the comments below.
Lots of love and best wishes to you all and our animal friends!
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