Service Dog Advocate

Welcome to ServiceDogAdvocate.com, your comprehensive resource dedicated to understanding, advocating for, and navigating life with service dogs.

Join Us and make the community stronger.

ADA Network Revelations

I decided to put in a call to the ADA Network the other day for some questions I have about some of my assumptions about service dog law. This was kicked off due to so many arguments about 2 different subjects. I guess I do need to point out that the ADA Network is not part of the Department of Justice (the ADA), however, it is a group of ADA specialists that are funded by the ADA. So I do consider them credible sources for ADA service dog-based questions.

20220929_133218.jpg
Doctors Note:


I have always felt that handlers had to have a doctor's note, prescription, or medical records showing that the handler was, in fact, covered by the overall ADA. After my chat with the wonderful lady from the ADA network, I found that my assumption was wrong. I based my argument on a portion of the ADA statute that included 3 prongs, the first being "a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual;". I had made the assumption that on top of that qualification the hander also needed one of the other ones.

(1) The term "disability" means, with respect to an individual
(A) a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual;​
(B) a record of such an impairment; or​
(C) being regarded as having such an impairment (as described in paragraph (3)).​

These are stand-alone items. A person only needs to qualify under one.
1(a) is self explanatory​
1(b) is used for people that were at one time disabled but are no longer​
1(c) is used as a defense for people that have been discriminated against because someone else assumed they were disabled.​
With all that being said the ADA Network also said that there are times when paperwork like this is required. Renting, work, and the like.

So, I will continue to say that as a handler you should have the paperwork but will have to stop saying it is a requirement.

20221012_104257.jpg
Protection work with Service Dogs

Ada gave me a 2 pronged answer for this subject.

1. Protection training in and by itself as tasks for a dog, the dog is not a service dog. Meaning that protection actions by the dog are not considered service dog tasks.
2. There is nothing stopping a handler or trainer from teaching a service dog protection activities.

In a nutshell, it is fine to train a service dog in protection/bite work.

Honestly, I figured that would be the answer, not that I would like it. Even the lady I was speaking to ask me "why would anyone do that?".

But there it is.

Comments

There are no comments to display.

Blog entry information

Author
Abhean
Read time
2 min read
Views
67
Last update

More entries in Service Animals

More entries from Abhean

Back
Top