There are places on the Internet to buy legitimate vests, patches and ID tags. Owners can even order elsewhere or make their own. What we are trying to make against state law is people who charge to enter a dog on a worthless registry and/or to sell fake certs or ID that claim certification with nothing to back it up. These businesses or individuals should be held accountable to what they are certifying and how they determine such. Are they testing the dog through such means as a PAT or making sure the dog is of proper temperament? Are they willing to stand behind that cert if the SD team must appear in court?

We would like it to be through state statute unlawful- with a possible charge of fraud – to sell a certification or item stating *certified* without anything to back it up. Against state statute to sell a certification without a knowledge of the dog’s training and suitability to go into the public as a working dog. Certification is not required under Federal Law – so those that sell it should be held to some minimum standards.

One possible requirement that could be added to this statute would be that if an agency, organization, or individual certifies a dog as an Assistance/Service Dog then they should make available liability insurance on that dog for a minimum amount of time. Not possible? Why not? Some Therapy Dog organizations have a million dollar policy on dogs that they test and register (and not even certify) while these dogs are actively working in that capacity. Should not organizations that register or certify Service Dogs also do the same for a minimum period of time?