How can I get my dog certified as a service animal. He helps me battle depression.?

Question

I need to move and my dog along wiith my medicine is an irreplaceable tool in my recovery. I want to get him certified as a service animal. Please help.

Answer 1

Depression isn't a valid reason to have a Service Dog, by law, but it is a valid reason to have an Emotional Support Animal.

The US Department Of Justice has determined that Emotional Support Animals may live with people and can not be excluded from apartments or places that people dwell, and that anyone who is using a dog for emotional support may keep that dog.

Get a doctor's note. It's sufficient, by law. There is no certification process. The ADA clearly states that owners may train their own dogs.

Check with your county to find out what registration requirements are necessary, because some counties offer free tags for animals used to support people, again take them the doctor's note and they will give you the tag.

Remember, Emotional Support Animals (ESA) do not have any rights to accompany a person into a place of business, whereas a Service Dog does.

Good luck

Answer 2

Many places require all dogs to be lisenced. Why not have the disabled owner fill out a form at the same time as getting the liscence certifying that they are a person with a disability that significantly limits major life functions, and that the dog has recieved extensive training in obedience and skills to mitigate the disability. There could even be a form required to be signed by a doctor like those that are required to get a disabled placard. A police station or drivers liscence location could easily take these forms and check them. There could also be an online site where users register their service dog(s) or service dogs in training. They could list what specific tasks the dog does and say how the dog has been trained. Their doctor could sign in to verify the disability or fill out a form to mail in. A liscence tag could come in the mail. Having at least a way to get a tag that says service dog would be good. If your area does not require a rabies tag then you might not be able to take your dog places where rabies tags are absolutely required. Get a rabies tag and a service dog tag at the same time, even if you have to do it at the same time. There will always be fakers. But having a website with guidelines that people have to verify that they read it is a start. There could also be an ID number on the tag so that business owners can check the website to see if the tag is legitimate. The website could give very basic information like the type and color of the dog and what city it is registered in. The person could be traveling outside their own city, but there should be an identification tag on the dog that gives their city or phone number which the area code gives an approximate location of where the owner lives. This wouldn't be perfect and it would not be good to have to show your tag everywhere you go. But the business owner should be allowed to see the tag if the dog does not act right or appear to be a service dog (ie someone says the dog provides balance as a task but the dog is too tiny). I personally would prefer to show my tag when I enter a store rather than tell the person what tasks the dog does. Telling them the tasks gives them an idea of what my disability is. They should still ask "Is that a service dog" and usually leave you alone. But they should be allowed to see the tag and write down the ID to check the website when questions arise. This would be good because by using the tag the owner says they have read the rules and their dog is a legitimate service dog. This would mean that fakers could be prosecuted more easily since it is provable that they knew the law. There could also be an audit to identify fakers. Some things on the registration form could trigger an investigation like someone who suddenly needs to have their dog everywhere but has worked full time for a long time. They could have an additional form sent to them or their doctors. There could also be a way for business owners to complain on the website about a certain dog. That complaint would not be visible to anyone except the website worker (not even the owner).Boxes could be checked on the website to the type of complaint (like bad grooming, sick dog, ill-mannered, aggressive, not trainedm, etc). If a certain number of complaints came up or the complainer marked a box that said the dog was aggressive then that person could be investigated. The funding for the investigators could come from people who fake a service dog. Those who knowingly fake a service dog should have huge fines, like $20,000. Those who really think they should have a service dog but disregard the requirements to be actually disabled or have a trained dog should have a smaller fine. They shouldn't have to go to jail because they won't be able to make money there and it costs too much to put someone in jail.

Answer 3

I know that you do have a right to have an "emotional support animal" I think you will have to google this one. Oh, here i found stuff at drchn.org on this issue. they have a form.

Answer 4

I think he is a good dog.

Answer 5

talk to your doctor, he may be able to help you