# CA Informational Hearing: Fake Service Dogs



## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

Meeting held today in CA Senate

Hearing on the possible use of fake Service Dogs and fake identification by Individuals to obtain Special Access to Housing, Public Places or Airports/Airlines for their animal.

http://sbp.senate.ca.gov/sites/sbp....nda - Fake Service Dogs Hearing (2-24-14).pdf 


Outcome of this meeting could change CA State Statutes on Assistance Dogs.


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

It is about time! In a state that over regulates everything, this area has been neglected. I hope my representative will be at the hearing.


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## sechattin (Nov 13, 2013)

We need this in Texas as well! WAY too many fake service dogs, at least in my area. One woman in particular stands out in my mind. Constantly pushing her two yappy chihuahuas around in a stroller with fake service ID's clipped to the front. They bark and howl and growl at everything, but the store owners in the area are too nervous to challenge the legitimacy of her "service dogs". She told me outright that she bought the badges online so her landlord couldn't kick her out for having the dogs and then said "but being able to take them everywhere also makes me feel nice, so they're still doing me a service!" That's NOT a service dog, lady!


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## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

California may crack down on fake service dogs
California News Monday, February 24, 2014
Coleen Sullivan

"Lying about your pet being a service dog is a misdemeanor. Lawmakers will be exploring the issue, including asking the state boards to review the process for authorizing use of service dogs."


California may crack down on fake service dogs | abc7.com


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## Chip18 (Jan 11, 2014)

WOW, the lows that some folks will sink to never cease to amaze...


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## Cheyanna (Aug 18, 2012)

Under one statute in Ca, it is a felony to lie. In Ca, you can get an assistance dog tag from the county. I hope that they will require people to get them instead of something off the internet.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## brembo (Jun 30, 2009)

Supervisors/managers of public establishments SHOULD be able to ask for official paperwork. Something that legitimizes the service animal without revealing anything personal about the persons "condition". The situations where the paperwork is asked for should be outlined as well, not just for kicks or to harass a person and certainly not at the request of another patron(someone who is uncomfortable around animals).


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## Sp00ks (Nov 8, 2013)

I've looked into it briefly here in NC and there is official certifications and licensing. Stores are still not allowed to ask though. I believe that is federal. 

I would like to get our pup certified eventually to assist my wife.


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

Can you order them online?


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## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

There are no official "papers" at either the Federal or State levels. No county or state can require to be shown any papers or ID in order for someone to take their SD into a location under the handler's Public Access Rights. 

There are no official evaluators to certify a Service Dog. Individual training facilities certify that an individual dog has met their own in-house requirements. Few organizations will certify a dog that has not been trained by them. Many organizations now breed their own dogs. 

Register on-line and you are buying certificates at a high cost that can be made with most home computers. Any paperwork, patches or IDs purchased through these Internet businesses carry no legal standing. The majority of these companies are now located outside of the U.S. so that they do not fall under U.S. law -- yes, even the ones with U.S. flags, Dept. of Homeland Security, or the words United States as part of their logos and letterhead.


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## crackem (Mar 29, 2006)

Instead of doing something that will make things better, we will get more regulations, more rules and in the end, more cheating, skirting and more problems. 

It's simple and I've said it before the only rules there should be, are ones' pertaining to the conduct of the dog. That's it, and we have plenty of those. 

If it's causing problems, it's gone. Period. Doesn't matter about anything else. Pee'ing in the isles? Gone. Barking at other dogs, people etc? gone. basically doing anything other than acting polite at it's owner's side? gone. No questions, no explanations, nothing,just gone. 

Beyond that it shouldn't matter. There is no good argument against having dogs everywhere, if they are polite and next to their handlers. I don't care about allergies, in almost every public place there is massive air exchange, if you can't handle it, you probably can't handle the walk down the street and the thousands of other allergens you're in contact with either. 

You're afraid of dogs? I don't care, i'm afraid of your mommy driving her SUV on Xanax, yet she still gets to share the road with me. 

Conduct of the dog, period. You can be allowed in or told to leave based strictly off that. Then nobody has to answer any embarrassing questions, nobody has to worry about breaking any laws. The problem is solved.

An unintended consequence is that more people might actually train their dogs because they can actually bring them places.


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

service dog vest | eBay


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## ken k (Apr 3, 2006)

ILGHAUS said:


> California may crack down on fake service dogs
> California News Monday, February 24, 2014
> Coleen Sullivan
> 
> ...


this is good news, at least a start, need to do this nation wide


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

I contacted my state senator about the hearing, and he already had an assistant call me at home, saying, "thank you" for my concerns and that he was interested in this topic.
So thanks for posting this information on this forum.


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## CleoPatrick (Feb 12, 2014)

I own a service dog for my health disability, and it angers me that people just have untrained unevaluated dog in public areas that they call service dogs! It puts a bad rep on people who own real service dogs when fakes create havoc. I remember this one lady had a napkin with service dog written on it, on her dog, how more fake can your get. Seeing that angered me a lot but I could really say anything. I think there should be more laws and requirements for service dogs and more awareness to fakes. I am some one with a real service dog and I am the one getting the stares and hate comment on my "fake dog."


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I hear a lot about problems with "fake" or not well trained service dogs online or in the news. Surprisingly though living in the 3rd largest city in the US, I almost never see any service dogs here at all (not counting my BIL's guide dog, I see him a lot  ). The ones I do see in public have been well behaved.
I've also noticed that even though I rarely see service dogs, the public around here seems to generally be well educated about them-- like knowing that they are allowed in places and that you are not supposed to disturb them, etc...


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