How callous! There is such a thing as karma...
I don't know why this person would make up the story so I tend to believe it. I have a service dog due to severe allergies--I am asthmatic. If you saw me you might not think I need a service dog but if you see my service dog Tyst, you would immediately realize the dog is legitimate. She carries my emergency medication in her vest pocket including an EpiPen. In the event of an emergency she knows exactly what to do. She is professionally trained and her behavior is impeccable. A yapping dog or one that would not mind the must simple command could not possibly be a service dog. I don't need to give my dog verbal commands, a simple hand gesture will do the job.
The ADA states that if it is not obvious what job a service animal performs, only limited inquiries are allowed, that said, the airline or business may ask what work or task is the dog trained to perform. A "service dog" may be requested to be removed from the premises if the dog is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it or the dog is not housebroken.
The abuse is such that Internet companies are making big money selling service dog certification packages for $150.00 - 350.00. You'll be happy to know that for this fee you can get a service dog vest! One can buy a vest for a lot less or make it oneself.
You can register a service dog for free. To buy a patch, the paper certificate and an actual credit card size identification which outlines the rules for the handler and the business owner is only $50.00 through a legitimate source. By the way, the ADA does not demand you show any type of identification. That said, I quote "under the ADA, service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls."
I created a web page specifically on this subject. The web page is very informative. I also provide detailed information on how to obtain a travel immigration certificate for a pet passport to travel outside of the United States. Internet companies charge somewhere between $15.00 - 25.00 per form! Such expense is not necessary, in fact you can get these forms for free. I give an outline as to how to go through the process.
The website is
http://AnimalTattleTales.com
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Promotion of commercial services deleted by Moderator per FlyerTalk Rules.]