Accepted that is in the US, but what is there to stop people anywhere from doing the same? Sorry, but people like "Erin" make me sick. She and her friends are stripping real service dogs from the freedom they give to their owners, just to save a few dollars? http://bbcco.toysgowhere.com/news/magazine-31646970
When you can buy the vests on-line with no proof of course people will abuse it. Surely a certificate could be issued proving you have a genuine qualified service dog and has to be produced before buying one of these jackets. The companies making them must be laughing all the way to the bank.
I have special card that attaches to lead that states K9 is registered service dog, K9 also has like a bus pass/driving licence plastic card with his photo on & emergency contact phone number plus what's he been trained to detect (epilepsy & diabetes) his little jacket only comes halfway down his body which says epileptic alert dog on right side & diabetic alert dog on left size.
You can buy those certificates online as well as the jackets. All to the detriment of genuine service dogs and the owners that depend on them for their life. It is just so wrong.
All in all, I'm not putting much faith in most actual service dogs. It was a "real" epileptic alert dog, that attacked the wife. The whole system needs work. A real registry and real temper testing.
It is nuts what people will do. It is fraud but they want to save money or be able to take their dogs in places they are not allowed. Some have fake service dogs with the vest and all. Others lie without purchasing "proof" hoping people don't know better. LMOST that is unfortunate but that doesn't represent all service dogs. Even professionally trained Police dogs or obedience titled dogs have attacked people. I know some good legit service dogs.
I don't know about the UK, but in the US it's still a problem even for people with real live service pups. There's a book called "Until Tuesday" by Carlos Luis Montalvan, an Iraq veteran. Trying to take a service dog anywhere...especially on public transport. Unless you're blind...even with VA card and service dog certification, bus drivers would literally leave him in the dust.
Been in contact with the UK system that runs service dogs, basically they have said there are special measures to stop anyone using untrained dogs & producing false cards, they told me that the plastic card with K9's photo on also has an hologram of a photo of me, (hadn't notice before but when I move the card I can see myself in the hologram) it also as the service dog hologram which can clearly be seen. (card must be handed over when going to anywhere & if no hologram of owner then the card will be kept & you will be refuse entry) we are issued with new cards every 3 years which has new photo's on (now I know why I have to send photo of me too) It does seem that its in America where people are claiming their dogs are service dogs not yet here in England, also all the service jackets are made in America & they don't ship to England (tried ordering jacket last night was told to contact the UK service dog organization) I also notice the American service dogs cards have "MUST HAVE ACCESS TO ALL PUBLIC PLACES", we don't have that on ours we do have details of medical conditions & medication, DOB & NHS number. (tried to take photo of card but it comes out white from flash hitting hologram)
When people like Erin do this, it makes me sick. You should not take advantage of this thing because then people start doubting real service dog. Itis basically different from emotional support animal.
In Australia if a business refuses a service dog they can be fined 10,000 $ . It is the law to have to.
Hello - this is an old thread, and also your hyperlink comes up as "Forbidden" and cannot be accessed.
I was working at a big name theme park and these people came in with 5 or 6 standard (giant) poodles, wearing colorful pajamas and had their fur dyed. They were horribly trained and were snapping at guests but these people INSISTED that they were service dogs and not circus dogs, and that they NEEDED all 6 of them for “different things”. They did not have their animals under control at all and it was a nightmare. Good article to read: https://labrescuenc.org/blog/american-service-pets-impressive-results-or-scam/
The above link leads to a site which sells "Official ESA Approval Letters" [Emotional Support Animal], just by filling in an online form.
