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How to Get a Service Dog in Florida
Florida’s tropical climate and sunny skies are a canine’s dream home. With its fun-filled beaches, green wilderness, and vast areas to run in, the Sunshine State offers pet-lovers plenty of outdoor activity options to share with their dogs. Florida ranks consistently on the top 10 pet-friendly states lists, proving how accepting Florida is of furry friends. And if you need a service dog, Florida not only has excellent service dog training options but also provides protections for service dog handlers.
What is a Service Dog?
If you’re diagnosed with a disability and have a task that a service dog could perform for you, you may benefit from a service dog. First, meet with your healthcare provider to evaluate your current needs. The task a service dog performs is typically an activity the person with a disability does daily or is done for safety. Unlike therapy dogs and emotional support animals, service dogs receive extensive training to complete their required tasks.
Federal Protection for Service Dogs
Because they’re an essential part of their handler’s well-being, a service dog is protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This federal law allows service dogs to accompany their handlers in all areas accessible to the public, even in places where pets cannot go; these include hotels, restaurants, movie theaters, and medical centers.
Service dogs are also protected under the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) laws. The FHA requires landlords and housing managers to admit service animals into their rentals without charging pet fees. The ACAA also obligates airlines to accept service dogs onto their flights, with no additional pet fees or pet restrictions. These federal laws protect service dogs and not pets. Why? Because service dogs aren’t pets!
Getting a Service Dog in Florida
If you and your healthcare provider have decided what tasks a service dog can help you with, it’s time to determine how you want to go about finding a service dog.
Here are the four common paths to getting a service dog:
- Buy a fully-trained service dog.
- Find a dog and train it yourself.
- Find a dog and outsource the more complex training. Train the dog the basic skills yourself.
- Buy the dog yourself, but outsource all the training to a professional.
The first option is to purchase a trained service dog. Although this choice comes with the highest price tag, it saves time on training your service dog. The second and third options involve some time to train the dog yourself. Training is typically the most labor and time-intensive aspect of getting a service dog. For some owners, outsourcing all the training can be the most cost-effective and least time-consuming path to owning a service dog.
If you’re looking to train your own service dog, you’ll need to find a suitable service dog candidate. Take into consideration that the dog you choose must be capable of physically performing the required task. For example, a Chihuahua would be too small to serve as a mobility service dog to brace falls. Keep your safety — and your dog’s safety — in mind! Additionally, look for dogs that are calm, eager-to-please, and easy to train.
Scouting for Your Service Dog Candidate
Here are a few places in Florida that may have the ideal service dog candidate for you:
S.A.F.E. Pet Rescue, Inc.
Located in Northeast Florida, S.A.F.E. Pet Rescue, Inc. rescues dogs and cats, placing them into loving homes. Because their dogs are fostered and socialized, they’re adoption-ready and willing to be trained.
Ayla’s Acres
Ayla’s Acres is a no-kill pet rescue located in St. Augustine. Their 45-acre pet sanctuary (which includes farm animals) allows rescued pets the freedom and space to heal and socialize.
Training Your Service Dog in Florida
Once you’ve obtained your service dog candidate, it’s time to start training. These training schools may be helpful:
Mind Your Manners Canine Training
Mind Your Manners Canine Training is an award-winning dog training and behavior modification school in the city of Kathleen. Their training plans cater to every dog and dog owner, changing to fit their needs. Mind Your Manners offers service dog training, along with other basic obedience skills.
Southeastern Guide Dogs
Southeastern Guide Dogs offer service dogs and training at no cost, though an application and a wait time are required. Run by volunteers, Southeastern Guide Dogs also provides free psychiatric service dogs to veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Service Dog Training Law in Florida
If you need further proof that Florida is a service dog-friendly state, you’ll be happy to find that Florida state law covers service dogs beyond federal regulations. For instance, Florida Statute Chapter 413.08 covers dog trainers when training service dogs in public.
Lastly, Florida Statute Chapter 413.081 protects the health and safety of service dogs by making the intimidation or harm of a service dog open to state penalties.
About the Author: The writing team at Service Dog Certifications is made up of folks who really know their stuff when it comes to disability laws and assistance animals. Many of our writers and editors have service dogs themselves and share insights from their own experiences. All of us have a passion for disability rights and animals.
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My best friend recently lost his leg when a drunk driver hit him. Him and his family have suffered and survived more than any family should. He has always had a love for dogs and We had a yellow lab together before he went to law school, and her passing might have been one of the harder struggles he dealt with. He has not had a dog since then, but now he needs one. I know better than most how therapeutic a pet can be but with the loss of his leg he will need it just not for emotional support but for everyday support. I’m happy to provide more information and do whatever’s necessary to get him the companion that might just save his spirit and his life.
SOUTHEASTERN GUIDE DOGS!! I haven’t used them yet but they offer free dogs to people who really need them and free training of a dog ( if you already have a dog ) for people who really need them and I have a serious need for a medical service Dog.. I have some medical problems such as neurological and cardiological medical issues as well as the fact That I have what they call C-PTSD, Which isn’t like always like regular PTSD.. It is 100× worse.. And I already have my dog he is an emotional support animal, however because of my medical issues I need to have a medically trained to be a service animal and my doctors have already taken care of the note but I am unable to afford the cost of being able to Train him and I am hoping that they will help me and and we can figure it out and my dog will be trained to help me how he needs to help me.. But I have read up on them and they seem and sound like an amazing company that Helps any one ( Veteran or a regular person ) that can not afford to be able to have the dog or train the dog..
I am unable to walk anymore due to being infected by wires from a pasemaker defibulator to my heart. I was infected to the point that I died at the hospital when my wife got me there. I am also incontinent, and unable to perform like a husband.
My life has been forever changed, and I could really use the assistance of a dog.
We’re sorry to hear about your health issues. We suggest speaking to your healthcare provider and/or a professional service dog trainer to see what options may be available to you.
Good luck
I’m a double amputee I was wondering is there a service dog for me ?
There are service dogs that help with amputees. We recommend speaking to your doctor and a professional service dog trainer to see what options are available for your particular situation.
If I already have a dog and would like to train her to be my husbands service dog, is there help for that?
You can train a service dog on your own or with the help of a professional trainer or training organization. Please see this article for more details on service dog requirements: https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/service-dog-requirements/
I have BPD & PTSD diagnoses. My question is this, would I qualify for a dog through y’all?
Hello, we do not qualify anyone has a service dog handler. We are a provider of service dog accessories for people who have already qualified as a service dog handler. You may however find a PSD letter useful if you are trying to figure out whether you have an eligible disability: https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/psd-letter/
I have ptsd and other mental health diagnosis. Would I qualify to get a service dog?
You might find this article helpful: https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/psychiatric-service-dog/
Hi so I’m not sure where to go in my situation so I recently just had brain surgery for cancer and I’m having seizures and would really like to be able to try to find a way to get a dog for me to have trained to have with me at all times to help me walk I’m just not sure where Togo or what todo now and unfortunately this has really turned out life’s up side down please help me if you can
We strongly recommend speaking to your doctor as well as a professional trainer to see what options are available to you.
My son has autism and ODD I really would like a service dog for him how do I go about this process ?
The first place you should turn to is your son’s licensed healthcare provider. They can help determine whether your son has an eligible condition and whether a task-trained service dog could be of direct assistance.
I would like a service dog because I have type 2 diabetes, and Addison’s disease. They will not give me an implant for the diabetes to be able to tell when it is out of order because my insurance doesn’t cover it. I think a service dog would help me mentally, and physically.
My daughter was recently diagnosed with Epilepsy I’d like to get her a service animal to make her an I feel safer to know when a seizure is coming how do I find someone to help me with this process
We strongly advise asking your daughter’s doctor for advice on this. You can explore the ways a service dog could directly assist with her condition. You should also consider consulting with a professional service dog trainer that has experience training dogs for people with your daughter’s specific needs. We wish you the best of luck.
I need help finding a service dog because I have MS for over 13 years. I have fallen several times and I am concerned about falling in the future and breaking a hip or something else. I can’t afford to buy a service dog. Paws for a Cause has turned me down. Does anyone have any advice for me. I tend to trip using a cane and or walker.
I have had depression for 20 years and at times it’s ok but others it’s not. Major depressive now. I feel like I could really have a service dog to help on my bad days. I would love if someone Paul’s reach out to me!
We’re sorry to hear about the tough time you’re going through. A service dog for mental health issues is known as a psychiatric service dog. PSDs are trained to perform a job or task relating to the handler’s mental health condition. There are also emotional support animals which also help people with conditions like depression, but they do not require any specialized training. You can read more about PSDs here: https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/psychiatric-service-dog/
My name is Franky Perez and I’m a disabled veteran with PTSD permanent & total housebound . Can someone please give me information on how to obtain a service dog for PTSD?
Thank you for your service! It looks like you’re interested in getting information about qualifying for a psychiatric service dog which can be used to perform tasks to help with PTSD. We wrote a guide about psychiatric service dogs which you might find helpful, here it is: https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/psychiatric-service-dog/
My friend has a mildly dilated aorta and it gets really bad when there is a lot of stress around her. She also has had panic attacks recently to go along with the stress, is there any way she can qualify to have a service animal?
In order to qualify for a service dog, your friend’s condition would have to be considered a disability that a trained dog could perform tasks to assist with.