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hello!! september is national service dog awareness month. there is a ton of misinformation about service dogs so each day this month i’m going to add to this thread with a fact, law, common misconception, etc. feel free to ask questions or things you want me to include 
to preface this will mostly be ADA law as that’s what i’m most familiar with. if there’s something i know is different in different countries i will make sure to say so :)
1. we will start off with the very basics for today! a service animal is a dog or miniature horse that is trained to do specific tasks to mitigate their handlers disability. emotional support does not count as a task.
2. one of the biggest misconceptions i see is that esas and service dogs are the same. while they are both important, service dogs require intense training and are allowed pretty much everywhere while esas are only allowed in non pet friendly housing and planes (more below)
tw // slight food mention
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3. do they have to be registered? in the US? absolutely fucking not. those sites are all scams and do not give you any rights whatsoever. fuck i’ve even seen someone register a jar of nutella it show how fake they are. 1/2
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3. do they have to be registered? in the US? absolutely fucking not. those sites are all scams and do not give you any rights whatsoever. fuck i’ve even seen someone register a jar of nutella it show how fake they are. 1/2
- in some countries like canada however, there is a federal certification where the dogs have to pass a test.
4. What if i have anxiety. Can I still have a service dog? Well that depends on if it is disabling or not. It’s always best to try other options first before relying on a dog full time. A common task for those with psychiatric conditions is DPT (what my dog is doing below)
5. can you train you own service dog? yes! most people think you have to get a service animal from a big organization like CCI but most people owner train (usually with the help of a professional) because it is so much cheaper and you don’t have to wait 5+ years on a waiting list
6. how do i spot a fake service dog? in short don’t. dogs aren’t robots and slip up sometimes in public. if the dog isn’t lunging, barking, etc just ignore. those who constantly seek and record fake service dogs are toxic -
-if the dog is truly being a nuisance/is a public risk and report to the manager and continue with your day. under ada law they are allowed to be removed if they are out of control. please try not to record a dog slightly slipping it up and post it all over the internet.
7. why is it important not to pet/distract service dogs? okay this is a BIG one. my service dog is not there for your entertainment. it is crucial for my health you do not purposely distract my dog.
-many service dogs are medical alert meaning they alert telling their handler to prepare for a medical episode. remember dogs are not robots. service animals are trained to ignore distractions but they can still slip up.
8. is it rude to ask people about their service dogs/disabilities? most of the time yes. some handlers like myself like to spread awareness and educate when we can but most just want to go about their day without getting stoped dozens of times (and that’s totally valid!)
-you need to remember to respect the handlers boundaries and don’t get offended if they want to be left alone. unless you are a worker there and asking the two legal questions it’s probably best to let the handler and their dog be.
-if you truly can’t fight the urge to ask a question please just be polite about it. we aren’t entitled to tell you our medical history and life story
-forgot to add, if the dog is tasking (for example laying on their handlers legs, picking something up, under the handlers legs, circling around the owner, etc) LEAVE THEM ALONE !!
9. what can businesses ask about service dogs? this in a way relates to yesterdays question. so in america (i don’t know about other countries sorry) staff are not allowed to ask about your disability or ask that you provide any sort of certification
-so how do business owners know the dog is legit enough to let in? businesses are legally allowed ask two questions about the animal: 1) is this a service animal required because of a disability and 2) what tasks has is it trained to perform
10. what breeds can be service dogs? any! service dogs don’t have to be just labs or golden retrievers. although it is recommended to get a fab four breed (i’ll discuss the fab four on a later day) for service work because of their temperaments and trainability-
-it doesn’t really matter as long as it isn’t a wolf hybrid. mutts, apbts, rottweilers, etc are all covered under the ada
(posting a picture from this meetup again idc)
(posting a picture from this meetup again idc)
11. how do i get a service dog? well first you need a disability. i recommend talking to your doctor/therapist first to make sure one is right for you but that isn’t required (remember that medical professionals don’t always know the laws).
-there are two main ways to get a service dog. 1) through a program like Canine Companions for Independence or 2) owner training. personally i prefer owner training but that isn’t for everyone. there are definitely pros and cons to both.
-if you go through a program like CCI there are often waitlists years long. sometimes they are really hard to be accepted into also. you usually get the dog when they are about two fully trained but ofc you need to continue the training throughout the dogs life
-owner training is what i’m doing with my current sd. you can either go to a reputable breeder or adopt. if it’s your first time owner training the best thing to do imo is go to a reputable breeder (of a fab four breed) and work with a professional trainer.
-not everyone can afford that however so if you choose a shelter dog i’d be prepared for the possibility of having to wash the dog from service work as you don’t always know their background and often shelter dogs don’t have the right temperament.
(if you have any other questions abt this one or want help finding a reputable breeder feel free to dm because there is a whole lot more to this subject )
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12. a surprisingly common misconception is that service dogs have to have some sort of dress code. in reality you can put whatever you want on your service dog. most handlers prefer professional vests-
-but it really doesn’t matter if the dogs wearing some fun patches or bandannas. i mean legally they don’t have to be vested at all. some training organizations that require you to wear a specific harness or patch that they provide though
13. where are service dogs allowed? generally they are allowed everywhere that their handlers can go even if they place has a no pets policy. the only exceptions are certain places in hospitals (for example any sterile environment) and churches are allowed to not require access
14. i’ve seen service dogs at places like disneyland. where do they go when the handler is on rides?!? i still haven’t been to disney with my dog but i see people surprisingly ask this a lot? plus i’m running out of subject to talk about. anyways, dogs are allowed to go on most
-rides with their handlers. the general rule of thumb is that if the ride doesn’t have height requirement it’s safe for them. other rides for example thunder mountain have a dog crate placed near the handicap exit in the shade. helperdognala on instagram has some great info
15. what if someone in the store or other establishment is allergic to dogs? fear of allergies is not a valid reason to deny access. basically, i’m responsible for my disability/medical equipment and you are responsible for your allergies if that makes sense
tw // animal abuse
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16. another misconception is that the dogs hate their jobs and they are all abused. this is absolutely not true. dogs are not robots and if they didn’t want to work they simply wouldn’t. my dog gets so excited when i get his gear and
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16. another misconception is that the dogs hate their jobs and they are all abused. this is absolutely not true. dogs are not robots and if they didn’t want to work they simply wouldn’t. my dog gets so excited when i get his gear and
tw // animal abuse
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-training tools out because he knows it means work. he loves his job. if a dog shows signs of not enjoying working they become a pet. it’s that simple. please just ignore sources like peta who says it abuse and dogs shouldn’t have to work to us
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-training tools out because he knows it means work. he loves his job. if a dog shows signs of not enjoying working they become a pet. it’s that simple. please just ignore sources like peta who says it abuse and dogs shouldn’t have to work to us
17. what do i mean when i mention the fab four? the fab four are the four breeds most recommended for service work. they are labs, goldens, poodles, and rough/smooth collies. this is all based on temperament and trainability. http://vonelintraining.com/fabfour.html
18. can i take pictures of you and your dog? pls no especially if you don’t have the handlers permission. service dogs are legally classified as medical equipment. disabled people do not exist for your amusement. you wouldn’t take a picture of a wheelchair, it’s the same for dogs
tw // pet death
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19. i can’t believe this has to be said but please stop with the dead dog stories. im sorry but i do not need to know how your dog that looked like mine died 15 years ago. handlers should be able to go in public without hearing how fluffy got hit by a car
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19. i can’t believe this has to be said but please stop with the dead dog stories. im sorry but i do not need to know how your dog that looked like mine died 15 years ago. handlers should be able to go in public without hearing how fluffy got hit by a car
hi!! i kinda forgot about this. if you have any service dog questions or you would like me to elaborate more on a certain subject pls let me know !!(wether it’s in my cc, dms, or replies i don’t care just whatever your most comfortable with)
service dogs are obviously something i’m very passionate about and i hope you enjoyed reading this thread ad much as i did making it. remember to not bring your pet into not pet friendly spaces and have a good day
most of the things i talked about regarding the law are on these two websites if you want to learn more: https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm
https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html
https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html
