Service Animals

[coachmanjay]

I usually refrain from commenting on political issues, but I have reached my boiling point. I am disgusted with reading articles/comments about how to register your PET as a service animal. The government does something to help people with a real need, and some game the system in order not to inconvenience their life style. Feel better now.

[Solo_RV_Guy]

Originally Posted by coachmanjay

I usually refrain from commenting on political issues, but I have reached my boiling point. I am disgusted with reading articles/comments about how to register your PET as a service animal. The government does something to help people with a real need, and some game the system in order not to inconvenience their life style. Feel better now.

This is more a human behavioral issue than a politics issue.


I admit to warm feelings of schadenfreude when I watch youtube vids of folks getting ticketed and/or towed away for using handicapped parking spaces without appropriate tags/credentials.

[Mr_D]

I was security at a retirement center. Lots of people claiming their pet was a service animal. Federal laws prevented us from even questioning their statements.

[masdixdragon]

Seems to be more about emotional support animals vs trained service animals. Personally Id rather err on the side of leniency than possibly deny the needs of one that does.

[CoachDitka]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

I was security at a retirement center. Lots of people claiming their pet was a service animal. Federal laws prevented us from even questioning their statements.

To be fair, it wasn't federal law, it was actually just the attorneys for whatever company you worked for being overly cautious, which was the consensus "best practice" amongst corporate attorneys.

Now that there has been a lot of recognition that people are abusing the law, companies are starting to push back. I recently received an email advertising a continuing legal education class dealing with the topic of how to safely push back against disingenuous service animal claims.

Federal law extends significant protections to people with disabilities and their service animals, but the laws have never been absolute.

In the past it was just cheaper to take a cautious approach and assume nobody would abuse the law. Now that the word is out that companies won't do anything, popular opinion has swayed against the abusers and companies are going to start exercising their rights a little bit more. If their rights prove insufficient to curb the problem of abuse, I would expect amendment of the ADA in the near future.

[FL420]

Originally Posted by CoachDitka

To be fair, it wasn't federal law, it was actually just the attorneys for whatever company you worked for being overly cautious, which was the consensus "best practice" amongst corporate attorneys.

Now that there has been a lot of recognition that people are abusing the law, companies are starting to push back. I recently received an email advertising a continuing legal education class dealing with the topic of how to safely push back against disingenuous service animal claims.

Federal law extends significant protections to people with disabilities and their service animals, but the laws have never been absolute.

In the past it was just cheaper to take a cautious approach and assume nobody would abuse the law. Now that the word is out that companies won't do anything, popular opinion has swayed against the abusers and companies are going to start exercising their rights a little bit more. If their rights prove insufficient to curb the problem of abuse, I would expect amendment of the ADA in the near future.

An excellent analysis of the situation. We had frequent issues at my airline with people insisting their pets were support animals who should be allowed to ride in the cabin. Thankfully most of the issues were dealt with by ground personnel before boarding. Some were not.
The bus company I worked for after my federally mandated "retirement" told us to never question or deny boarding to any person who brought on any animal they claimed to be a service animal. The disability activists were well organized and would file a lawsuit at the drop of a hat.
The other passengers were required to bear the consequences of their timidity.

[Solo_RV_Guy]

Originally Posted by FL420

An excellent analysis of the situation. We had frequent issues at my airline with people insisting their pets were support animals who should be allowed to ride in the cabin. Thankfully most of the issues were dealt with by ground personnel before boarding. Some were not.
The bus company I worked for after my federally mandated "retirement" told us to never question or deny boarding to any person who brought on any animal they claimed to be a service animal. The disability activists were well organized and would file a lawsuit at the drop of a hat.
The other passengers were required to bear the consequences of their timidity.

There are a couple of opportunistic attorneys who have built a cottage industry of ADA lawsuits. The have a number of "clients" around the USA, with various disabilities, who are sent to public and private facilities (office buildings, retailers, theaters, etc) to find out if their access is impaired in any way. The attorneys investigate and usually bring suit on behalf of their "client".

It's an instance of the ADA being used as both a cudgel and profit center.

[dons2346]

Federal law allows this question that can be asked of someone claiming a service animal: What does this animal do for you?


Emotional support, anxiety support animals are not considered a "service animal".


I had to take some required training on this subject and learned a lot.


Also, there is no such thing as a "registered" or a "certified" service animal. Sure, you can go on line and buy a vest and answer a few questions and someone will give you a "certificate" but it isn't worth the paper it is printed on

[winniman]

If people are required to have a tag in their windshield to prove they are handicapped for parking, why wouldn't they have some kind of identifiable tag on the service animal. It could be a special collar, or some kind of shirt. You would have to get them through approval of your doctor. This would curb the abuse. I would feel ashamed to fake a disability.

[FL420]

Originally Posted by winniman

If people are required to have a tag in their windshield to prove they are handicapped for parking, why wouldn't they have some kind of identifiable tag on the service animal. It could be a special collar, or some kind of shirt. You would have to get them through approval of your doctor. This would curb the abuse. I would feel ashamed to fake a disability.

Good idea. Good luck getting any lawmakers to take on the ADA activists. I suspect many of those activists aren't really disabled but self-important pet lovers who can't bear being without their pets regardless of where they go, how they get there and who they inconvenience.

[BSHGTO]

Originally Posted by coachmanjay

I usually refrain from commenting on political issues, but I have reached my boiling point. I am disgusted with reading articles/comments about how to register your PET as a service animal. The government does something to help people with a real need, and some game the system in order not to inconvenience their life style. Feel better now.

Notice how there are no posts against your statement. There are plenty mostly women that abuse this important and necessary benefit. One woman actually brought her service animal on a plane, it was a monkey. Then there`s the one with a cat. Now you can buy on line little shirts for your animal and it says support animal in training. I have personally seen this on many animals in restaurants and other places that usually do not allow PETS to be brought in. The best was a dog not sure what it was but it was the size of a Harley Davidson with a human size shirt on that said emotional support animal on it when we went to the Olive Garden restaurant here in the North East one evening. No one has any Ba..s anymore to tell these people it isn`t going to happen.
As veteran I went to the Va for treatment one day and here`s a guy with 2 big Pit Bulls sitting there waiting his turn to see a doctor, both had Emotional Support Animal shirts on. It goes on and on. Whats next a horse just encase I need to hug something.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeEoHTUEL-s

[99-Am.Star]

Originally Posted by coachmanjay

I usually refrain from commenting on political issues, but I have reached my boiling point. I am disgusted with reading articles/comments about how to register your PET as a service animal. The government does something to help people with a real need, and some game the system in order not to inconvenience their lifestyle. Feel better now.

I think that same applies to the handicapped plate and mirror hanger signs.
they seem to be given away for hangnails or other such things. my feeling is that once someone in your family qualifies that means it can be used by anyone in the family. there seems to be no end to how folks will wrongly use the system. Noff said, I feel better now.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by 99-Am.Star

I think that same applies to the handicapped plate and mirror hanger signs.
they seem to be given away for hangnails or other such things. my feeling is that once someone in your family qualifies that means it can be used by anyone in the family. there seems to be no end to how folks will wrongly use the system. Noff said, I feel better now.

Not true. I needed mine renewed and the Dr wouldn't authorize it till I produced a letter from my Neurologist. I did go to the U of O med school for some years but they can't find my records.
I should also add that I'm deputized (sworn in) to write tickets for illegal HC parking. Caught one woman using a dead friends tag.

[winniman]

Originally Posted by 99-Am.Star

I think that same applies to the handicapped plate and mirror hanger signs.
they seem to be given away for hangnails or other such things. my feeling is that once someone in your family qualifies that means it can be used by anyone in the family. there seems to be no end to how folks will wrongly use the system. Noff said, I feel better now.

My mother has a handicapped placard for her car. Even if I take her in my car, I will only drop her off at the handicap parking spot, and then park the car elsewhere. She brings her placard with us, but I don't feel I have the right to leave the car in the HC parking spot. I would feel like a lowlife if I left the car in the HC spot, and another handicapped person has to walk farther because of my actions. For the record, I had to help an elderly lady get into the bank this winter, as the parking lot was really slushy with snow. She was parked in the handicap spot. Some folks really need these services, shame on those who use them on false pretenses.