Yep. You refuse a therapy animal and you better have yourself a really good lawyer.

 

Unfortunately, I've read articles about people abusing this and having their doctors write up these letters simply so they can have their dog/cat accompany them on flights and what not at no charge, and without having to be restricted to a crate.

 

It does get abused, but so does every thing these days it seems.

Yep. You refuse a therapy animal and you better have yourself a really good lawyer.

 

Unfortunately, I've read articles about people abusing this and having their doctors write up these letters simply so they can have their dog/cat accompany them on flights and what not at no charge, and without having to be restricted to a crate.

 

About a year ago a place I worked at had a customer come in with a service dog, the owner asked to see some type of proof such as an official paper stating the dog was a service dog, as the guy didn't not have any visible signs of any disability. The guy said he didn't need any type of proof and the owner insisted he did. I attempted to intervene to say that a law was passed a couple of years ago stating you do not need any proof anymore. Good thing that he listened to me, a few weeks later he was talking to his lawyer who backed up what I said. The lawyer told him he owe me big time. The last time I checked service and therapy are considered the same under the law.

 

I do think that one needs to have some type of proof, as it is now, anyone can take a dog, or other pet into anywhere they want and claim its for service or therapy, and legally no one can tell you to leave.

Maybe I'll get one of my doc buddies to write me a note so I can take my bird dog with me everywhere. And when he pees on everything in sight to mark his territory, I can say he's helping me express my emotions. Peeing on the establishment is therapy.

Federal law states: "When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed. Staff (or members of the public) may ask two questions: (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform. Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task." Also state and local laws can't override ADA.

 

Now this is from a site for service dogs, but it applies to all animals basically. So yeah Spindoc, take your bird dog with you anywhere you want, and no note is required. Have fun.

It may have changed but we were taught that Therapy animals should be treated exactly the same as a seeing eye dog would be. Even in a food service establishment.

 

Interesting, and I wouldn't argue that. And these laws or ordinances, as you well know, have local flavors, so the wording is likely not the same town to town.

Maybe I'll get one of my doc buddies to write me a note so I can take my bird dog with me everywhere. And when he pees on everything in sight to mark his territory, I can say he's helping me express my emotions. Peeing on the establishment is therapy.

 

LOL! This reminds me of a story this therapist friend of mine told me last spring. She works with kids, and she said that this one teen about 16 got upset and just pulled down his pants and crapped all over the floor.

My girlfriend has a patient who brings in her therapy dog. This dog is an absolute menace, legal told them they had to let it accompany the patient as there wasn't anything they could do about it unless it bit someone.

Woman with baby kangaroo forced out of McDonald?s | New York Post

 

Thank you for fixing the link. :thumb:

I'm going out to get me a service Grizzly tomorrow. Just let someone try to question me on it. Be the last time they question me.:scared: