service dog

[LunaMommy]

Could someone tell me the steps I need to take to register Luna as a service dog? Or an emotional support dog? I have some depression issues and hubby says they have been way better since she has been in my life. He asked if we should register her so She could be with me all the time. But I'm clueless as to where to even start.

[Wylie's Mom]

There is NO official way to register a dog, so don't let any websites convince you there are. There are a ton of sites out there who cell "certificates", ID badges, vests, patches etc that designate service dog - but just know that you don't need ANY of that stuff legally...only if you want that stuff (like, a vest is sometimes good). Even Amazon sells patches and vests.

Legally, service dogs are allowed everywhere, whereas ESD dogs aren't quite as ubiquitously allowed. You can be asked what your dog does / is trained to do - but they CANNOT, by law, ask you about your disability -- it is against the law to do so.

I'm attaching a little card I made for my mother in law....

[LunaMommy]

I was aware the websites are scams. I understand some places are just not appropriate to take a dog. I am not doing this to bend rules or anything. That is why I am wanting to take the steps to do it right if I need to. So, if I was to put a vest on her and made something like the card you showed I will be ok? She is always in my arms or in a bag. Never ever on the floor. She is 3 pounds and never makes a sound. Most people don't even know she is there. This is just a thought I am rolling around in my head. Thought I would come here for some input on it. Thanks!!
If she was a service dog and not emotional support would she need anything special then? Just a question out of pure curiosity.

[Lovetodream88]

There is no registry for a service dog but the dog has to do a service and just offering you comfort is not a service. You sound more like your dog would be an emotional support dog and that dosent meant they can go every where.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by LunaMommy

I was aware the websites are scams. I understand some places are just not appropriate to take a dog. I am not doing this to bend rules or anything. That is why I am wanting to take the steps to do it right if I need to. So, if I was to put a vest on her and made something like the card you showed I will be ok? She is always in my arms or in a bag. Never ever on the floor. She is 3 pounds and never makes a sound. Most people don't even know she is there. This is just a thought I am rolling around in my head. Thought I would come here for some input on it. Thanks!!
If she was a service dog and not emotional support would she need anything special then? Just a question out of pure curiosity.

Yes she would need to actually do a service and just comforting you is not concidered a service. If some one were to say to you what service does your dog do (that is legal) and all you said was comfort me they could challenge that and you could end up going to court and having to pay fines and so on.

[LunaMommy]

Thanks for the replies! My question was directed more toward emotional support (which I said in the first post) and I did not say I wanted to take her everywhere. I was just asking if I chose to take her somewhere one day if she needed any thing to be legit. She is only 5 months old and I have not chose to do anything along these lines yet. I was just curious. Without having to tell my whole life story, she could end up having to be a service dog as well. That is why I asked out of curiosity about becoming a service dog.

[Britster]

To have your dog as your ESA, you need to visit a doctor/psychiatrist and get a proper note after the doctor speaks with you and decides you have a need for an ESA. ESA's can only be allowed in cabin on flights and in non-pet housing. That's the only special privileges they get.

A service dog must perform a task. They also go through training and it sometimes takes two years before a dog is ready to be a service dog. A service dog is trained to abide by public access standards when it accompanies its handler in public. It performs tasks that help mitigate its owner's disability.

An emotional support animal is more of a dog that provides comfort, and doesn't generally do any trained task for disabilities.

[Jkpal]

You might check into Therapy dogs (on-line); there is a badge that states the animal is not a service dog---which means one is entitled to have dog with them everyplace--but instead, dog enters with permission. If your little one is well-behaved and you show good judgment as to where you both go (maybe not restaurants, doctors' offices and such), I would think you'd be ok! Isn't it so nice your little buddy has done so much for your well-being!?! "Dogs are miracles with paws"

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by Jkpal

You might check into Therapy dogs (on-line); there is a badge that states the animal is not a service dog---which means one is entitled to have dog with them everyplace--but instead, dog enters with permission. If your little one is well-behaved and you show good judgment as to where you both go (maybe not restaurants, doctors' offices and such), I would think you'd be ok! Isn't it so nice your little buddy has done so much for your well-being!?! "Dogs are miracles with paws"

A therapy dog is a dog that goes to hospitals and nursing homes to visit patients.

[Lookingforone]

I just got a doctors note. Legally, any place can refuse to let me in. But I have yet to have it happen. Once I show them the doctors note they are always very accommodating.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by Lookingforone

I just got a doctors note. Legally, any place can refuse to let me in. But I have yet to have it happen. Once I show them the doctors note they are always very accommodating.

For what? Service dogs can not be denied entry.

[Lookingforone]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

For what? Service dogs can not be denied entry.

From what I've read, emotional support animals can. And that's all he is, and unregistered. Just a psychiatrist letter politely asking everyone to let him be with me in public places.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by Lookingforone

From what I've read, emotional support animals can. And that's all he is, and unregistered. Just a psychiatrist letter politely asking everyone to let him be with me in public places.

Oh ok yeah that's different then a service dog.

[yorkiemini]

Originally Posted by Lookingforone

I just got a doctors note. Legally, any place can refuse to let me in. But I have yet to have it happen. Once I show them the doctors note they are always very accommodating.

j

The letter from the psychiatrist is supposed to state specifically that the pup is appropriate as a ESD. Generally service dogs that complete a service dog program have a letter from the training organization stating what the training was. This is not a registration, but can be used as documentation if needed.

ADA is a Federal law. Unfortunately abuse by people claiming their dog is a service dogs is leading some states requiring additional state service dog documentation. Recently while on a three week visit to California I had to get my service dog that state documentation.

[yorkiemini]

Originally Posted by Lookingforone

From what I've read, emotional support animals can. And that's all he is, and unregistered. Just a psychiatrist letter politely asking everyone to let him be with me in public places.

You may not like this post, but as a doctor who writes theses types of letters for patients - it is wrong for a physician to request that anyone/business violate the Federal ADA Laws. The letter is good for getting the dog into housing and plane travel, but not appropriate for Service Dog privileges other than at those venues as stated by the law.