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THE ISSUE TODAY<br />
The use of fraudulent service dogs has made it increasingly difficult for business owners<br />
to express suspicion for fear that they may be punished or fined for interfering with a<br />
service dog.<br />
Enforcement is difficult because not all service dogs are registered like many with<br />
disability placards. Another additional issue are the people who call their pets therapy,<br />
comfort, and emotional distress dogs, none of which the law considers a service dog.<br />
Businesses and especially restaurants want to focus on providing guests with excellent<br />
service, delicious food and a comfortable dining environment. The use of fraudulent<br />
service dogs hinders these goals.<br />
While legitimate service dogs are trained to perform tasks like opening doors, picking up<br />
items, providing guidance to the visually impaired, to sniffing out allergens and alerting<br />
to oncoming seizures, or calming a person with stress or panic disorder down, regular<br />
pets are not. 5<br />
It is estimated that there are roughly 20,000 legal service dog teams in the United<br />
States, yet hundreds of thousands of fraudulent vests, certificates, and ID cards are sold<br />
every year. 4<br />
The non-profit Canine Companions for independence continues to work hard to petition<br />
the use of fraudulent service animals and is committed to strengthening laws to help<br />
prevent this issue in the future.<br />
The organization has a petition of nearly 30,000 signatures, urging the US department of<br />
justice to crack down on the sale of fake service dog products. 6<br />
The purchases of these items continue to diminish a disabled person’s credibility and<br />
leave business and restaurant owners suspicious of lawbreakers. Breaking the law to<br />
bring your pet with you can create an unfavorable atmosphere for those around you.<br />
While licensed service dogs are well trained and committed to helping their owner your<br />
pet may not be as well trained.<br />
5 The Dogington Post. The Dogington Post, 15 Feb. 2015. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.<br />
.<br />
6 Bowes, Peter. "Advocates Fight against Fake Service Dogs - BBC News." BBC News. BBC News, 26 Mar.<br />
2015. Web. 24 Sept. 2015. .<br />
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