Just a few further details for this entertaining thread:
Federal
The ADA does not grant emotional support dog owners the same right of access to public places that it gives to individuals who use psychiatric service dogs.
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Airlines
Under the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), a commercial airline must permit emotional support dogs and other animals to accompany qualified passengers with a disability on a flight. Airlines cannot require that a passenger traveling with a service animal provide written documentation that the animal is a service animal, but the same is not true for an emotional support animal.
In both the housing and airline context, an individual with a disability will likely need to acquire a special letter from a licensed mental health professional documenting the individual’s need for an emotional support animal.
California State example
California law allows persons with disabilities to bring trained service dogs and psychiatric service dogs, but not emotional support animals, to all public places.
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Can the Operator of a Public Place Require Proof That an Animal Is a Service Dog?
A public place can ask only two questions to determine if that individual's dog is a service dog:
- whether the dog is required because of a disability, and
- what work the dog is trained to perform.
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in California, pretending to be an owner of a service dog is a criminal misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 (and/or up to six months imprisonment).
And more info
Basically there's likely poor training for lounge staff on this issue. A process should be something like:
1. Dog comes in off leash, or pax not holding harness
a. Is your dog required because of a disability? If yes, What work is it trained to perform?
b. Given satisfactory answers, but unsatisfactory appearance (no vest/harness) or behaviour of dog, lightly inform pax that authorities have been called in prior instances if the animal acts in untrained manner (eg wandering around the lounge). It is a public area, and the dog must remain "on duty".
c. In addition a service animal would have been registered ahead of time and would be indicated on the BP/ticket remarks. If it's not, then it's not a service animal and should never be off leash or harness.
2. Dog comes in on leash/harness
Same as above, though obviously can add the: should remain on leash bit.
3. Dog comes in in carry-on kennel
a. "That's a cute pet you have! Just so you know, our policy is X" (which requires your pet to stay in its kennel while in the food area, whatever)
b. Pax says it's an emotional support dog. "In that case, while outside of the cafeteria area, you can have it on leash or on your lap. But if it's wandering around you may be asked to leave.
And in the cases where there's an issue with a claimed service animal:
a. Check BP/ticket remarks
b. Remind pax that dog must remain on duty/in carrier etc as appropriate
c. Inform/remind pax that it is an offence to pass as a service dog
d. Call authorities
Or something like that. Pretty basic stuff.... although maybe lounge employees thought they'd only be interacting with the well behaved pax?