We are so grateful for the selfless acts of giving on behalf of our companion animals at the Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA. Our animal-loving supporters outdid themselves with their generosity to us over this blessed holiday season. We are humbled by it, and most appreciative.
To say that calls to my desk are numerous regarding the access of working service animals vs. “emotional support animals” and various certified Therapy Dogs confirms the frustration of many business owners and facilities who are in uncharted waters, and feel they are being sold “a bill of goods” in a number of situations.
I fielded three calls last week alone, asking if I could train a canine pet to be a “service dog” so that the owners could take them into stores or sports venues and the like. In all of those cases, these owners were educated, subsequently disappointed with my correct information, and decided that training would not get them what they wanted. Let’s quote from the US Department of Justice on the definition of a service animal:
- Under the ADA, a service animal is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person’s disability. The dog must be trained to take a specific action when needed to assist the person with a disability.
For example, a person with diabetes may have a dog that is trained to alert him when his blood sugar reaches high or low levels. A person with depression may have a dog that is trained to remind her to take her medication. Or, a person who has epilepsy may have a dog that is trained to detect the onset of a seizure and then help the person remain safe during the seizure…