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Service animals are vital companions to people with disabilities, diligently and selflessly helping them to live their lives with as much freedom as possible, and protecting them from harm. However, some people abuse the system and lie about their dog being a service dog, or get dubious certificates claiming they need ’emotional support’ based on the flimsiest of reasons. Remember the emotional support peacock?
This service dog trainer decided to vent her frustration about the situation, and used her experience and expertise to illustrate the difference between an actual, properly trained service dog and one that has been simply labeled as a service dog for its owner’s selfish convenience. “I have been working around dogs thanks to my family since I was very young,” Lex told Bored Panda. “I became a professional dog trainer almost 3 years ago. I now work for a service dog training organization.” Her own service dog, Faith, performs a variety of tasks which she lists here: “MEDICAL ALERT – Migraine alert – Panic attack alert GUIDE – Follow a person – Find an exit PSYCHIATRIC – Deep pressure therapy – Tactile stimulation – Self harm disruption – Block (front) – Cover me (back) MOBILITY – Retrieve dropped items.”
As you can see, real service dogs really do save lives. Not only is it dishonest, but phenomenon of ‘fake’ service animals is causing real problems to those who actually need them, making already difficult situations even more difficult. What is being done to change this situation? “There is, and as far as I know, a couple bills have been proposed to congress,” Lex told us. “However, it has been deemed that requiring such certification or licencing would be discriminatory and in violation of the ADA. Personally, I believe there needs to be a national certification and registration for LEGITIMATE service dogs trained to assist people with LEGITIMATE disabilities.”
Scroll down below to read Lex’s eloquent explanation below and let us know what you think in the comments. Do you have a service animal? Have you come across anyone with an obviously ‘fake’ one? Join the discussion!
RELATED:
Tumblr user Trainingfaith is a service dog trainer. This is her service dog, Faith
She has become increasingly frustrated with people falsely claiming their pets as service animals
Here’s how people reacted to the informative post
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What do you think ?
Carol Emory 7 years ago
Basically this, if you have to lie to get your way, then you are a horrible person. I get so sick and tired of people that lie, pretend and try to con people because they don't feel they should have to play by the rules like everyone else. And that jackass that said he went online and got his dog certified in 20 minutes...you knew it wasn't legit. The government needs to crack down on those websites and heavily fine anyone that falsely claims their dog is a service dog.
Hannah Ingram 7 years ago
I recently found out that fake valour was a thing, like why do you want to fake that?
Load More Replies...
Night Owl 7 years ago
This infuriates me! I don't know how but there has to be a way to stop people from keeping fake service animals or at least to stop thighs from getting worse with more and more people with fake service animals around.
diane a 7 years ago
My dogs were beutiful- friendly and loved everyone - but i would never in a million years have lied to take them into a premises - they loved everyone too much - which can be dangerouos and scary for people
Load More Replies...
Your name 7 years ago
I'm a nurse and I worked in a prison for several years which happened to have a service dog training program for the inmates. It was extremely effective especially to promote good behavior from the inmates training the dogs and for those who got to interact with the dogs. One of the best things about being a nurse there was getting a call from my friends who were Sargents of the unit that they got a new puppy and then they would have an inmate bring them over (important for the puppies to socialize and it was a great part of my day). There was a women who faked having a service dog so she could bring her dog into the prison but we couldn't do anything about it. Her dog ended up attacking one of our dogs and she had to go to the vet. She refused to pay the vet bill and this evil b***h just kept bringing her dog in. I'm not sure what ended up happening but I know at the time, this was a few years ago, it was illegal to demand proof that she had a legit service dog.
IWishIWasBob 7 years ago
That’s just sad...not for the lady but for the dog! The poor dog was probably tortured and hurt...people like her shouldn’t have dogs unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Load More Replies...
Wil Vanderheijden 7 years ago
The sad part is that you CAN just register your dog as a servicedog. Just fill in the form, pay $55 and you're fine. No questions asks, no checks, no handing over any form of documentation issued by the government. We all know that accidents are just waiting to happen and we all can imagine the headlines: "Servicedog bites child in the face." "Man trips over servicedog in restaurant and breaks leg." "Customers chased out of supermarkt by out of control servicedog." In a country with so many laws and regulations nobody came up with the idea to regulate this?
Thinairgal 7 years ago
Absolutely - regulation is sorely needed. It takes time, effort and money to develop a healthy, well- behaved, socialized PET! The standard for any service animal is far higher. There should be no "online degrees" I understand that there's a flip side - many people who desperately need a service animal cannot afford to have one. Any regulatory program is going to have to be accompanied by plans to address providing for these people. Otherwise, there'll always be a "black market" to meet the demand.
Load More Replies...
Jen Davis 7 years ago
I have been told several tunes I should get my dog certified so I don’t have to pay for her to fly with me. Yes it’s an expense but she is NOT a trained service dog. So I pay. I was on a recent flight with my dog and it was a long haul flight. My dog has a bag that fits under the seat, I know the rules are to keep her in the bag which I do, but sometimes I unzip to calm her when she gets anxious, she stays in the bag but I put my hand in so she has comfort. An attendant came by to tell me I couldn’t do that because in the back section there was a service dog. I complied. When deplaning I saw this “service” dog was a toy poodle in a large bag not a dog carrier and was yipping at everyone in line. I paid a lot of money to travel with my dog and know they only allow a certain number of animals on flights, this person took up a spot for someone that may have needed to fly with their service animal. Again I don’t mind paying for my dog as she is part of our family.
diane a 7 years ago
When your emotional support animal gets more anxious than you at where you are taking it - thats a whole new problem
Load More Replies... Kate 7 years ago
Look at the freaking add that popped up below the comments on this article omfg. I mean I know it's there because of keywords picked up on in the article, but the irony is still too much for me. But Thank you for this story--It really is an hugely important issue!!! Screen-Sho...ce-png.jpg 
Thinairgal 7 years ago
Too much! Great catch, Kate - I never even notice the ads anymore.
Load More Replies...
Rose the Cook 7 years ago
There is no need to take your dog into a business premesis unless you are truly disabled in some way and if you are your dog will be trained to behave. As for other animals or pets just NO.
Cassie 7 years ago
I have anxiety. I understand the desire for an ESA. However, if I can't go into a business without the crutch of an animal not trained for such things, then I simply avoid going into that business or I find alternative support, like a fidget gizmo tucked in my pocket. I don't get why people feel the need to inconvenience others with their problems.
Load More Replies...
Robin O'connor 7 years ago
I have a service dog, I'm terrified that some fake service dog will attack my $20,000 boy, I am disabled and unable to protect him. My life and Independence rely on him. He's the reason I am able to go out and do live on my own. I'm required to be able to demonstrate annually that I make sure he's healthy and parasite free. This is important for animals allowed where food for human consumption is. We also don't go out when it's raining, this is a courtesy, not a rule, no one likes the smell of a wet dog. .
Lillian Sommers 7 years ago
I work for a major grocery chain in a really affluent area and the BS people pull to drag in their yappy little purse dogs and hyper active labs really pisses me off. I love dogs don't get me wrong, I have two and if I could take them everywhere I would! But I've seen these folks feeding their dogs from salad bars or jumping up on produce displays, and it's so unsanitary. It would be unsanitary if a human did it, let alone a dog. There are signs and all we can do is ask and if they lie, we have to believe them. But you know when a legit service dog is in the building. It's like night and day.
IWishIWasBob 7 years ago
The sad part is is that people who do actually have emotional support dogs like me (he is a havanese and I love him very much) are constantly being questioned. I do have my dogs papers proving that he is in fact an emotional support dog (and mind you he is very well trained, when I walk he was, when I stop he sits, absolutely doesn’t beg, and doesn’t ask for attention from strangers) and it’s frustrating having to dig them out all the time. It’s not just service dogs who are having trouble, and that’s the sad part. I wish people would stop faking it and go to dog friendly places if they don’t have a legitimate service/emotional support dog.
diane a 7 years ago
there should be something that could just be attached to the collar of legitimate service dogs - that cant just be bought over the nternet by anyone who doesnt have a legitamate service dog
Load More Replies...
Carol Emory 7 years ago
Basically this, if you have to lie to get your way, then you are a horrible person. I get so sick and tired of people that lie, pretend and try to con people because they don't feel they should have to play by the rules like everyone else. And that jackass that said he went online and got his dog certified in 20 minutes...you knew it wasn't legit. The government needs to crack down on those websites and heavily fine anyone that falsely claims their dog is a service dog.
Hannah Ingram 7 years ago
I recently found out that fake valour was a thing, like why do you want to fake that?
Load More Replies... Night Owl 7 years ago
This infuriates me! I don't know how but there has to be a way to stop people from keeping fake service animals or at least to stop thighs from getting worse with more and more people with fake service animals around.
diane a 7 years ago
My dogs were beutiful- friendly and loved everyone - but i would never in a million years have lied to take them into a premises - they loved everyone too much - which can be dangerouos and scary for people
Load More Replies... Your name 7 years ago
I'm a nurse and I worked in a prison for several years which happened to have a service dog training program for the inmates. It was extremely effective especially to promote good behavior from the inmates training the dogs and for those who got to interact with the dogs. One of the best things about being a nurse there was getting a call from my friends who were Sargents of the unit that they got a new puppy and then they would have an inmate bring them over (important for the puppies to socialize and it was a great part of my day). There was a women who faked having a service dog so she could bring her dog into the prison but we couldn't do anything about it. Her dog ended up attacking one of our dogs and she had to go to the vet. She refused to pay the vet bill and this evil b***h just kept bringing her dog in. I'm not sure what ended up happening but I know at the time, this was a few years ago, it was illegal to demand proof that she had a legit service dog.
IWishIWasBob 7 years ago
That’s just sad...not for the lady but for the dog! The poor dog was probably tortured and hurt...people like her shouldn’t have dogs unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Load More Replies... Wil Vanderheijden 7 years ago
The sad part is that you CAN just register your dog as a servicedog. Just fill in the form, pay $55 and you're fine. No questions asks, no checks, no handing over any form of documentation issued by the government. We all know that accidents are just waiting to happen and we all can imagine the headlines: "Servicedog bites child in the face." "Man trips over servicedog in restaurant and breaks leg." "Customers chased out of supermarkt by out of control servicedog." In a country with so many laws and regulations nobody came up with the idea to regulate this?
Thinairgal 7 years ago
Absolutely - regulation is sorely needed. It takes time, effort and money to develop a healthy, well- behaved, socialized PET! The standard for any service animal is far higher. There should be no "online degrees" I understand that there's a flip side - many people who desperately need a service animal cannot afford to have one. Any regulatory program is going to have to be accompanied by plans to address providing for these people. Otherwise, there'll always be a "black market" to meet the demand.
Load More Replies... Jen Davis 7 years ago
I have been told several tunes I should get my dog certified so I don’t have to pay for her to fly with me. Yes it’s an expense but she is NOT a trained service dog. So I pay. I was on a recent flight with my dog and it was a long haul flight. My dog has a bag that fits under the seat, I know the rules are to keep her in the bag which I do, but sometimes I unzip to calm her when she gets anxious, she stays in the bag but I put my hand in so she has comfort. An attendant came by to tell me I couldn’t do that because in the back section there was a service dog. I complied. When deplaning I saw this “service” dog was a toy poodle in a large bag not a dog carrier and was yipping at everyone in line. I paid a lot of money to travel with my dog and know they only allow a certain number of animals on flights, this person took up a spot for someone that may have needed to fly with their service animal. Again I don’t mind paying for my dog as she is part of our family.
diane a 7 years ago
When your emotional support animal gets more anxious than you at where you are taking it - thats a whole new problem
Load More Replies... Kate 7 years ago
Look at the freaking add that popped up below the comments on this article omfg. I mean I know it's there because of keywords picked up on in the article, but the irony is still too much for me. But Thank you for this story--It really is an hugely important issue!!! Screen-Sho...ce-png.jpg
Thinairgal 7 years ago
Too much! Great catch, Kate - I never even notice the ads anymore.
Load More Replies... Rose the Cook 7 years ago
There is no need to take your dog into a business premesis unless you are truly disabled in some way and if you are your dog will be trained to behave. As for other animals or pets just NO.
Cassie 7 years ago
I have anxiety. I understand the desire for an ESA. However, if I can't go into a business without the crutch of an animal not trained for such things, then I simply avoid going into that business or I find alternative support, like a fidget gizmo tucked in my pocket. I don't get why people feel the need to inconvenience others with their problems.
Load More Replies... Robin O'connor 7 years ago
I have a service dog, I'm terrified that some fake service dog will attack my $20,000 boy, I am disabled and unable to protect him. My life and Independence rely on him. He's the reason I am able to go out and do live on my own. I'm required to be able to demonstrate annually that I make sure he's healthy and parasite free. This is important for animals allowed where food for human consumption is. We also don't go out when it's raining, this is a courtesy, not a rule, no one likes the smell of a wet dog. .
Lillian Sommers 7 years ago
I work for a major grocery chain in a really affluent area and the BS people pull to drag in their yappy little purse dogs and hyper active labs really pisses me off. I love dogs don't get me wrong, I have two and if I could take them everywhere I would! But I've seen these folks feeding their dogs from salad bars or jumping up on produce displays, and it's so unsanitary. It would be unsanitary if a human did it, let alone a dog. There are signs and all we can do is ask and if they lie, we have to believe them. But you know when a legit service dog is in the building. It's like night and day.
IWishIWasBob 7 years ago
The sad part is is that people who do actually have emotional support dogs like me (he is a havanese and I love him very much) are constantly being questioned. I do have my dogs papers proving that he is in fact an emotional support dog (and mind you he is very well trained, when I walk he was, when I stop he sits, absolutely doesn’t beg, and doesn’t ask for attention from strangers) and it’s frustrating having to dig them out all the time. It’s not just service dogs who are having trouble, and that’s the sad part. I wish people would stop faking it and go to dog friendly places if they don’t have a legitimate service/emotional support dog.
diane a 7 years ago
there should be something that could just be attached to the collar of legitimate service dogs - that cant just be bought over the nternet by anyone who doesnt have a legitamate service dog
Load More Replies...
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