Could someone explain the criteria for claiming a dog is a therapy dog.

A woman who owns a local pet store came into a local government office I was at with her dog. The receptionist said there were no dogs allowed except the normal exceptions which probably include therapy dogs.

The pet store owner stated she had a prescription from her shrink stating she needed this dog to go everywhere with her. They reluctantly let her pass.

I suspect abuse from this business owner who seems to function just fine everyday in her store.

I feel like not patronizing this store again.

Woops, spelled therapy wrong in the title of this post.

There is a difference between a therapy dog and an assistance dog. A therapy dog is invited in to visit a patient and provide emotional therapy, or be used as a tool in physical therapy (patient has motivation and purpose in movement when grooming, walking, or playing with the dog.)

Therapy dogs are not covered under public access laws. They must be invited into hospitals/homes where they do their work.

An assistance dog is a dog that performs a service for a disabled person. The person must be legally disabled, and the dog must be trained to perform an action. Psychological assistance dogs may do things like stand between the handler and strangers, pretend to have to go to the bathroom after a subtle cue, turn on the lights in the room before the handler enters...

These dogs are covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The real problem is there is no real proof requirements under the law. You have to take the handler's word that the dog is an assistance dog. Only if you refuse entrance and the person sues you will any evidence of the dog's nature be required.

Even if the dog is a valid ADA dog, if he acts up you have the right to ask the hander to put the dog outside.

Lee,
I think that telling the pet store owner that you'll be taking your business elsewhere would be a powerful tool - it would point out to the woman that she may be able to abuse the system , but there will at least be some financial consequences for her behavior.

Get several dog friends together to do the same thing, and maybe the financial fall-out will make her sit up and notice.

The dog could be a legit Psychiatric Service Dog. Those are dogs that help someone with a psychological disorder function in public. For instance if a person is prone to panic attacks, the dog may be a calming influence...

Just because you can't see a disorder, does not mean it is not there. A Seizure Alert Dog for example is indispensable to someone with uncontrolled seizure disorders. And, no, proof is not required under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Is this lady for real or is it a scam? Who knows. If she claims she has a letter from a Psychiatrist stating that the dog is necessary, there is nothing you can do to stop her. She may have been confusing the terms Therapy Dog and Assistance Dog (I have seen professionals get the wording wrong). Possibly ruining her business because you don't know FOR SURE is a little drastic...

Just a little Devil's Advocate to keep things in perspective... please don't hate me

 Quote: lee sternberg

Could someone explain the criteria for claiming a dog is a therapy dog.

A woman who owns a local pet store came into a local government office I was at with her dog. The receptionist said there were no dogs allowed except the normal exceptions which probably include therapy dogs.

The pet store owner stated she had a prescription from her shrink stating she needed this dog to go everywhere with her. They reluctantly let her pass.

I suspect abuse from this business owner who seems to function just fine everyday in her store.

I feel like not patronizing this store again.

Was the dog a problem? Uncontrolled, etc.?

This is a grey area. I found out training Kota for service for a family member after a motorcycle accident.

This helps explain a bit http://www.deltasociety.org/ServiceInformationBasic.htm

For 3 yrs he's been a therapy dog. This means he has been through behavioral screenings and is allowed to work with others to provide therapy . This in NO WAY allows him to enter buildings, fly on an airplane, etc.

 Quote:

The ADA defines a service animal as any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability. If they meet this definition, animals are considered service animals under the ADA regardless of whether they have been licensed or certified by a state or local government.

Service animals perform some of the functions and tasks that the individual with a disability cannot perform for him or herself. Guide dogs are one type of service animal, used by some individuals who are blind. This is the type of service animal with which most people are familiar. But there are service animals that assist persons with other kinds of disabilities in their day-to-day activities. Some examples include:

_ Alerting persons with hearing impairments to sounds.

_ Pulling wheelchairs or carrying and picking up things for persons with mobility impairments.

_ Assisting persons with mobility impairments with balance.

A service animal is not a pet.

The grey area lies within the laws from the ADA. It nowhere requires a dog to be 'certified' or wear any indication of it being a service dog, ie a vest. The dog must be of assistance to it's owner. More recently emotional disabilities are popping up all over the place. In this case, it sounds like a woman taking advantage of the law.

Edit: so to more directly answer your query, NO a therapy dog is NOT allowed to go into gov't offices, etc. A SERVICE dog is allowed as it provides a service to its owner.

Hi Kelly,

From speaking with an agent of the ADA, I was informed that dogs used to "Make people feel better"..ie therapy dog are not lawful in the same sense as service dogs. IMO a psychiatric dog would fall under that heading. But what do I know. Its all different shades of grey.

Howard

The dog was specifically identified as her dog for her personal "therapy". The dog was in her arms and and well behaved.

There was something about her body language to cause my to get suspicious about her need for this dog to accompany her everywhere.

If it was BS I also blame the "shrink" that wrote that kind of prescription.

From http://www.iaadp.org

According to the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), a service animal must be individually trained to do work or tasks of benefit to a disabled individual in order to be legally elevated from pet status to service animal status. The following list identifies a number of tasks a service dog could be trained to do that would serve to mitigate a disabling condition classified as a psychiatric disability. In particular, the tasks were developed for those who become disabled by Panic Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome ( PTSD), or Depression, conditions attributed to a brain chemistry malfunction. The List also contains some activities that may be useful as a coping mechanism, but would not stand up in a court of law as "training to perform a disability mitigating task," and those will be marked with a Disclaimer to provide guidance to a therapist and patient on that issue. The author, a mobility impaired service dog trainer who has been deeply involved in the assistance dog field for many years, initiated research into this new kind of assistance dog in 1997. She became familiar with these disorders through the input of early pioneers of the psychiatric service dog concept. Subsequent research has involved garnering input from experts in psychology and psychiatry and from patients to gain a better understanding of the symptoms, treatment goals, and ways in which partnership with a service dog might become a valuable adjunct to conventional therapy.

Respond As Needed During A Panic Attack -

A panic attack can occur at any time when one has this disorder. A dog could be a real asset rather than a nuisance during this crisis. By following a simple obedience command like Sit Stay, Down Stay or Stand Stay, a dog’s availability for petting may distract a patient from their symptoms, providing a focal point in the here and now. A person having a panic attack should definitely take advantage of the documented pet therapy benefits to be derived from petting a dog, as it may slow down their heart rate. It may help the person to combat the disturbing thoughts and fear that threatens to overwhelm their capacity for emotional self control.

The dog can be schooled to assist in a variety of settings, from the workplace to the front seat of a car or in a grocery store or a city park, not just at home. The dog must cooperatively permit the owner to give him petting, a massage, or another interaction such as a hug without pulling away, going off to take a nap, lying down to chew on a rawhide bone or following other natural inclinations. A dog with a velcro personality will be much easier to work with and may not require formal training, but a dog with an independent personality, of course, can learn to follow simple obedience commands which could assist the handler to calm themselves during a panic attack.

* During Business Meeting - dog trained to assist his partner by unobtrusively maintaining a Sit Stay for 5 to 20 minutes or longer, without sliding into the Down position, out of reach. The human partner utilizes a relaxation technique such as a massage or simply strokes the dog’s fur to calm self, so he or she can to continue to take part in the meeting.

* Anywhere Outdoors - dog is taught to hold a Stand Stay position or Down Stay to permit close contact, for up to twenty minutes.

* In a Parked Vehicle - dog can be trained to come into the front seat with permission, hold a Sit Stay or lie across the partner’s lap so the person can pet the dog which can be relaxing, interacting with the dog, for up to a half hour till acute symptoms subside.