Ok. We have talked about this A LOT. I am sorry that I keep harping on this same issue, but this has to be said. DO NOT TRY TO PASS YOUR PET OFF AS A SERVICE ANIMAL.
Honestly, I am so irritated that I even have to state this again, but it just won’t stop happening. Try googling “fake service dog” and see how many hits you get. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
One of Casper’s cousins had a run in with this recently and just yesterday we were approached by someone saying how they wished they could take their dog everywhere.
We were at church and this person (since we see them all the time and some of our friends at church read this I will not go into too much detail and give the person away) said that he/she would like to take their dog everywhere, especially hotels. We nodded, knowing that many people have this wish and hearing it often. This is not a strange desire. We would hate to leave our pet at home, especially for long trips. Yet this person went on to pat Casper’s vest and ask where to get one. I was now skeptical, but said we ordered it online. Then there was more talk and I explained that if the dog provided a real service this person should check into getting it certified. All this time we are smiling and trying to be polite. We do our best to be kind even when we are starting to get a little exasperated. Finally I clearly stated that this person should be aware that trying to pass your pet off as a service animal IS ILLEGAL.
Maybe, I thought, this is the angle I need to stress. Yes, it is annoying. Yes, it is pretty low. Yes, it causes a world of problems. And YES IT IS ILLEGAL. This can earn you fines, prison terms, and/or loss of future benefits (such as Medicare, Social Security Benefits, Food Stamps, etc.). (I found a good source of information about this on this blog post.)
So, people need to really think about this before they do something stupid.
Let’s say you get off easy and are hit with a fine. This could be a very large fine. Maybe so large that you have to start picking up some odd jobs to make ends meet. One of these odd jobs is helping some old guy from Craigslist clean out his basement. You show up to find that the old man is Adam West and he has built a perfect replica of the Batcave from his Batman television series. He puts you to work cleaning. While you are cleaning the McDonald’s wrappers out of the inside of the Batmobile he jumps in and announces he needs help because The Penguin has an evil plot afoot. Before you can jump out he has taken off at full speed, trapping you in the vehicle. Before you know it you are at an aquarium and Mr. West is fighting with the penguins. You try to stop him, but the penguins get mean and you have to try wrestling them off of yourself. The police show up and you are arrested for breaking and entering, assault, animal cruelty and a number of other crimes. You may not have gotten jail time for you fake service dog scheme, but it came around after all.
Don’t wrestle penguins with Adam West. Don’t pretend your pet is a service animal.
Karma is a female dog, folks.
Tagged: ADA, dane, disability, disability awareness, dog, fake service animal, fake service dog, mobility, mobility dogs, service animals, service dane, service dog vest, violation of rights
Casper the Friendly Dane 
Great post. Some people need to learn the hard before they understand.
You know you get it even with just a handicap sticker. A parking meter enforcer asked my husband how come he has a sticker…I guess he looked too young to her…he said she could get one too , all she had to do was have a stroke!
My family and I were just in Mystic Ct. today. After reading the problem you had there and telling my daughter-in-law your story we just walked right by (that store). I won”t even mention their name. I hope others will do the same.
Love the Adam West/Batman story…LOL!! If service dogs have to be registered as service dogs, the organization that provides the registrations should also provide the vests. And, if there aren’t any such organizations, perhaps there should be. We all have to be registered for a driver’s license; service dogs should have an organization which provide the vests. That way, hopefully, only valid service dogs receives a vest. If people are travelling with their family pet, they should check online which hotels/motels accept pets in their establishment. My husband and I moved from Ontario to New Brunswick in Canada and we needed to stop for the night. Some of the smaller hotels/motels we stopped at didn’t accept pets or charged an enormous fee for the pet. We stopped at a Days Inn and thankfully, they accept pets. So, do your homework before you leave home, if you want to bring your pet along with you on a long trip. Unfortunately, there will always be people who will take advantage; sometimes, educating them helps, sometimes it doesn’t. Just keep doing what you’re doing and hopefully, it will sink in. Thanks for your blog; I always learn something new and you keep us well informed. Love you, Casper! ❤
Good post. Keep spreading the word! Some people need constant reminders.
As always, you have given us all things to think about and the information is invaluable. Have to say though, love, love, loved the Adam West and Batman references. Just oh so wish they would snap up those that break the law and lock them all up at the pound. That would fix them.
Thank you for continuing the conversation (which, at times feels like a monologue, others like a shouting match…) Some of the quick comebacks I’ve started arming myself with (not being the quick-comeback type, I need to be prepared!):
– Oh, I don’t have an extra vest, but here are some scrubs if you’d like to pass yourself off as a surgeon
– OK. I’ll make you a deal: You take your dog everywhere with you but you’ll have to take my Parkinson’s too.
– You know it’s cheating if you don’t take him into the bathroom with you, too. Oh, wait, it’s cheating period.
– Make my day: Park in a handicapped space, too.
Renee
Your second response is perfect! One day at SDP Dan and I were talking to a family with a little boy about 6 or 7 who has the same type of CP as Dan. The father told us they went to Disneyworld and someone actually had the audacity to say something about how nice it must be to skip the line. The father shot back that yes, it completely made up for the innumerable hardships his son faces daily.
I, too, become angry when faced w/someone trying to pass their dog off as a service dog. Fortunately I do not see it often, but even once is one time to many. Keep spreading the word and THANK YOU!
OMG! Marvelous! Especially the last comment… Of course, I’m talking about the blog post, not the people who are BREAKING THE LAW!