Title I of the ADA – Agency, The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

“The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. Title I of the ADA makes it unlawful for any employer with 15 or more employees (including a state or local government employer) to discriminate against a qualified applicant or employee because of a disability in any aspect of employment. In addition to protecting qualified applicants and employees with disabilities from employment discrimination, one ADA provision – the “association” provision — protects applicants and employees from discrimination based on their relationship or association with an individual with a disability, whether or not the applicant or employee has a disability.”

Q. If I have my dog made a therapy dog or a emotional support dog can it then live in a apartment that doesn’t allow dogs?

A. Therapy Dogs are pet dogs that can be owned by either disabled or non-disabled owners.

THERAPY DOG
Per Delta Society:
Therapy animals and their handlers are trained to provide specific human populations with appropriate contact with animals. They are usually the personal pets of the handlers and accompany their handlers to the sites they visit, but therapy animals may also reside at a facility. Animals must meet specific criteria for health, grooming and behavior. While managed by their handlers, their work is not handler-focused and instead provides benefits to others. 
http://www.deltasociety.org/Page.asp…ServiceTherapy

The owner/handler of a Therapy Dog does not have additional rights in Housing or Public Access over any other pet owner.

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOG (ANIMAL)
Per Service Dog Central:
An Emotional Support Animal is a dog or other common domestic animal that provides theraputic support to a disabled or elderly owner through companionship, non-judgmental positive regard, affection, and a focus in life. If a doctor determines that a patient with a disabling mental illness would benefit from the companionship of an emotional support animal, the doctor write letters supporting a request by the patient to keep the ESA in “no pets” housing or to travel with the ESA in the cabin of an aircraft.
http://www.servicedogcentral.org/content/ESA

If your treating doctor or medical team deem that you have a disabling mental illness and enters such into your medical records then you may be able to have your dog live with you in no-pet housing. Only landlords in certain types of housing are required to accommodate you and allow your dog to live in the rental.

So many times when you read an article in the news or in a discussion of young children using Service Dogs you see the example, “They would not forbid a child taking their Seeing Eye (Guide Dog) …”

One major point not taken into consideration is that national (most) guide dog schools do not train and give guide dogs to young children so access issues are not even part of the issue.

The Seeing Eye (Morristown, NJ):     “Applicant must be between the ages of 16 and 75, motivated and emotionally stable, capable of walking one to two miles a day, and able to receive and implement instruction.”

Southeastern Guide Dogs:     “Age: You must be at least 18 years old.** There is no upper age limit.”  and  ”**For children between the ages of 10 and 18, see information on our Canine Connections program.”

“Good stewardship demands that we carefully place all of our dogs, so these career-changed dogs are hand-picked for other valuable areas of service. When we find a particularly gentle and loyal dog that must be career changed, we match it with a visually impaired child through our Canine Connections program.

Our Canine Connections Program builds a bridge between the child of today and the independent guide dog handler of tomorrow. Visually impaired children gain confidence as they learn how to care for the dog’s needs: feeding, grooming, walking, and playing. The children gain a faithful companion, as well as a sense of ownership, responsibility and maturity. And when the day comes for them to train with a guide dog, they’ll experience a smooth transition to freedom and independence.”

Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB):     ”Q: How old do you have to be to train with a Guide Dog?     A: Because it takes a level of maturity, discipline and commitment to work with a Guide Dog, the majority of our students are 16 and older. There is no upper age limit for people who have the health and stamina to work with a Guide Dog.”

Guide Dogs of America:     ”Applicants should be at least 18 years old, but there is no upper age limit.”

Fidelco:     ”Orientation and mobility training-We require our applicants to have “O&M” training before being considered for a Fidelco guide dog. This includes using a white cane, learning street crossings in your community and the like. O&M training can be obtained at a local agency for the blind.”

Leader Dogs for the Blind:     ”Leader Dog recipients must be at least 16 years old, …”

Pilot Dogs:
“Pilot Dogs, Inc. does ask our prospective students to be a minimum of a junior in high school. The applicant needs to be legally blind and physically capable of caring for and receive benefit from a guide dog.”

Guide Dogs of Texas:     “Each applicant needs to have had training using a long cane and be sufficiently mobile to work effectively with a dog.”     and     ”… the criteria of being legally blind, being a resident of Texas, being at least 17 years of age, knowing and walking routes independently, and crossing streets without sighted assistance.”

From Fox23.com              Regular pets passing as service dogs
Published: 11/01 11:11 am

FOX23 Reporter Janna Clark has a yorkshire terrier, named Penny. Janna went online to see if she could get Penny a service dog vest and an identification card. Susan says real service dogs aren’t required to wear vests, and their handlers aren’t required to carry an ID card.    …  

 Turns out, Janna didn’t have to give any proof of being disabled or that Penny was a qualified service dog. All Janna had to do was pay $57. And in less than a week, Penny’s service vest and ID card came in the mail.

 http://www.fox23.com/news/local/story/Regular-pets-passing-as-service-dogs/GmViI0kieEyCtt0Hrl-lkw.cspx

Therapy Dogs are not Assistance or Service Dogs. Therapy Dogs are pet dogs with special training and of the proper temperament to work with their owner around and for other people.

Most national organizations register their teams but do not certify them. A registered team may or may not have gone through training with a specific organization. The registration of the team in most cases means that the team signed up, paid a testing fee along with submitting an application, and went for an evaluation. If they passed their evaluation (test) with a set minimum score they then were eligible to be registered with that organization.

When a team is *certified* that implies that the organization requires certain training (classes through them) over a recognized length of time, normally has additional requirements like a minimum number of supervised visits, and possibly several different tests. This particular organization then certifies that the team has met their standards. There are fewer organizatins that certify as it requires a more indepth relationship between the team and the organization. Certifying organizations normally also monitor the team to make sure they are complying with their regulations and in some cases also mentor and do additional training with their teams.  

National Therapy Organizations:

Therapy Dog International (TDI) - Registered      http://tdi-dog.org/

Therapy Dogs, Inc.- Registered     http://therapydogs.com/

Delta Society – Registered     http://www.deltasociety.org/

I am seeing an increase in the number of training groups for PSDs for disabled vets. My concern is do these trainers have experience training PSDs (or under the guidance of experienced trainers of PSDs) and do they have a background working with people with these type of disabilities? Next there are the ones who are specialising using rescue dogs. How many are balanced in their approach and how many have rescue as their main goal? And then the bottom line – how many are really dedicated to helping our vets and how many are looking at this as the newest and very successful marketing tool?

• Speak to the handler and not to the dog.
• It is fine to smile and make a short comment to the handler about their dog such as what a nice looking dog they have.
• Do not try to stop the handler while they are going about their shopping or attending to business. Would you do this to someone without a dog?
• If you are in a situation where speaking would be a normal course of events then it is fine to ask a question about Assistance Dogs in general.
• Do not ask ask personal questions of the handler such as what is their disability.
• If the handler does not wish to speak about their dog or hold a conversation do not be offended. They may be having a bad day, may have their mind on personal matters, tired or not feeling well – just like anyone else.
• Do not try to get the dog’s attention by calling to it.
• There is no reason to touch or pet the dog – it has a job to do.
• Do not try to give a treat to the dog.
• If you have your dog with you and are near an Assistance Dog Team, do not let your dog try to interact with the Assistance Dog either by trying to play with, bark, or make eye contact with the Assistance Dog.
• If you are near a visually impaired handler and you have your dog with you, let the handler know of your location such as you are passing them or sitting near them.

ADAP is having a fundraiser to purchase small video cameras that will be loaned out to members of our team and certain clients so that they can video sessions with their current Assistance Dogs, video training sessions with their dogs who are being owner trained, or to help them in fundraising for new dogs.

To send a check or money order (make out to Karl’s Kids Program) and put Video Activity on memo/note area.

Mail to: Assistance Dog Advisory Project / Karl’s Kids Program, Inc. / P.O. Box 1989 / Interlachen, FL 32148.

To send a fully tax deductible contribution via PayPal: paypal@karlskidsprogram.com    OR click on our PayPal Button.

Any collected donations earmarked for this activity that are in excess of the funds needed for these cameras will be used for mailing costs to loan these cameras, maintenance or for others costs to assist in the making of their videos such as supplies for backgrounds or to edit their material.

Karl’s Kids is in the process of setting up a YouTube Channel where these videos can be shown.

Only a person with a legal disability may use an Assistance Dog out in the community. Every dog that is owned by a PWD is not an Assistance Dog.

Legally disabled owner plus dog equals pet. Legally disabled owner plus obedience trained, well-mannered and friendly dog equals nice pet that is safe to take to places where pets are allowed.

Legally disabled owner plus dog individually trained to mitagate owner’s disability, trained in obedience, well-mannered and safe to use in the public equals Assistance (Service) Dog.

A week ago I was asked if there was somewhere to go to learn to be an Assistance Dog Trainer. The place that I have heard the most recommendations for is Bergin University of Canine Studies located in CA.

They are recognized by the U.S. Dept. of Education, the California Bureau of Private Post Secondary Education, accredited by Assistance Dogs International, Inc., and offer Federal Student Aid.

Bergin University of Canine Studies Website