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Service Dog Certification: the TruthThere is NO legal requirement for service dog certification! Service Dog Certification Basics
"Yes, you can pay big bucks and get a piece of paper saying your dog is certified...but that does NOT make a dog certified (except the company that took your money calls your dog certified). There are a lot of those companies out there.There are also service dog companies that train dogs for people, then state your dog is certified...but that is often to get your money too - one woman paid $35,000 and the dog was nowhere near trained to her needs! There are good and there are bad organizations out there -- in the way they train, the quality of the dogs (health and temperament) and in the cost -- from free to the largest price I have heard of, which was $35,000. Some organizations charge you for YOUR training (how to use the dog, commands, care of the dog, etc.) and some don't charge for it. Some charge for the equipment that you need (special collars/leashes or harnesses, bowls, brushes, etc.) and some don't. It pays to really do some homework into what you want from the animal, whether you can take care of the animal properly, and what organization could help you the most. But remember -- no matter WHAT the organization SAYS, there is no certification!! Some states have special ID's that you have to buy (like a license) but that is just like registering your car. You don't have to PROVE your car is running to get a license plate for it." Thank you, Viki! We feel sure this information will help a lot of people who can ill afford to spend money on unnecessary service dog certification. Service dogs and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)Since the ADA is at the federal level, this provides the overriding law on service dogs. The following was gleaned from their website at http://www.ada.gov/qasrvc.htm:"Under the ADA, a service animal is any animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability...regardless of whether the animal has been licensed or certified by a state or local government." This means, as Viki said, that you do NOT have to have paperwork to prove that your dog is certified. However, your state laws may require you to show that your dog has a special license. It may also be legal for the business to question you about exactly how your service dog is helping you, as is the case in Nevada where we live. You can check out individual state laws at Service Dog Central (http://www.servicedogcentral.org/content/node/51). The ADA also stipulates that businesses MUST exempt your service dog from any “No Pets Allowed” policies and allow you both to go to all areas of their facility where customers are normally permitted; they cannot tell you to go to an area separate from other customers. However, if your dog is out of control or disruptive, you may be asked to leave, and you will likely also be liable if your dog does any damage (as long as the business also holds non-disabled customers liable for damage they cause). We hope this helps clarify the matter of service dog certification. Service dog trainingYou will want to have a thoroughly trained service dog for the following reasons:
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