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What is a Public Access Test for Service Animals?
The public holds service dogs in high esteem. Service dogs have the honor of being welcomed into areas that are not usually open to other animals. Being able to enter these locations allows service dogs to fulfill their essential duties of helping their handlers. For all service dogs to be able to execute their duties, […]
The Cost of a Service Dog
Quality doesn’t come cheap. Neither does a Service Dog. However, when considering how beneficial a well-trained Service Dog can be to the quality of life of its handler, then a Service Dog is priceless. Nonetheless, according to the Freedom Service Dogs of America, the cost of a Service Dog is approximately $25,000. Let’s take a […]
Everything You Need to Know About Service Dog Supplies
Unlike most dogs, Service Dogs go to work every day to fulfill their job in supporting their handlers with their specific needs. Just like humans, to do their work, they might need a uniform and tools to make the job easier. A shopping list of essential supplies for a Service Dog could include the following […]
I think businesses like hotels, restaurants, Etc. should be allowed to ask owners who claim to have ada service animals for their animal identification card. If not why give them one in the first place. If you’re not allowed to ask for any animal identification card by law. What’s to stop someone from claiming their animal is a service dog when it really isn’t.
I work for a hotel and get customers and all the time claiming to have service animals. Since I can’t ask for there i.d. without threats of being sued. There’s no real way of knowing if the dog this is legit or not. I’m sure only about 5% of Our Guest who claimed they have service animals are really real ada service animals. I mean I understand that you shouldn’t be allowed to ask for medical paperwork or having the dog perform a task to show that it is one. I was told by a guest that her service animal have the same rights as a human. And if that is true. it’s not illegal to ask a human for their identification when they are purchasing cigarettes, alcohol for operating a vehicle to verify who they say they are. If we didn’t have identification cards that had to be shown anyone cuz they there anybody or any age.
My husband has a service dog, but I agree there needs to be a way for businesses to ask for proof. We have a certificate and a photo ID for our diabetic alert dog and would not be offended if we were asked to show proof. I’ve seen too many fake service animals cause chaos and injury.
That’s a lie, Melissa. You have not “seen too many fake service animals cause chaos and injury”. In fact, I would go as far as to say you’ve never even witnessed ONE incident like you claim. You are simply one of those people that don’t want to see others allotted the same privileges as you and your husband.
Jess, I guess your one of those people who claims to have a service pet instead of going through the legal steps. May I add that having a service pet is not a privilege, its necessary and detrimental to someone living with a disability to live a normal lifestyle. It’s that kind of ignorance and people like you taking advantage of the system, that make it harder for the people who do require a service pet. If you have a disability and need a service pet you are allotted the SAME privileges, but you obviously do not.
Yes I have seen “service” pets growl, nip, bark, and jump up on people and other pets. These are not service animals, but travel companions and as such are not trained or certified.
She is not lying people who claim to have a service dog that is really not one the dogs them self are crazy barking jumping up on people biting other dogs…a dog that has been trained does not do those things…so they need to change the laws so people have to show proof that the dog is trained…point blank
Well Jess you should have been at the hotel where I’m the Security Manager. A woman checking in claimed she had two (2) “service dogs” and that she had registration cards on each. We were forced to accept her despite observing that one of the dogs was highly aggressive and neither dog would obey any commands given by the owner. During her stay we noticed that the woman frequently left her room for extended periods of time without taking either “service dog” with her. Makes you wonder exactly what disability she had that only required periodic assistance. Three days later the woman with her “service dogs” had left her door ajar. As another guest passed the room the larger dog (a German Shepard) lunged from the room and attacked the guest. An ambulance needed to be called to transport the guest to the hospital for treatment of the bites. During this incident we made an observation of the condition inside the “service dog” room. The floor was covered in dog feces. The sheriff’s deputy who responded to the incident said the “registration certificate” for these dogs appeared to have been self-made by the guest. Because the guest had paid cash (and we are also prohibited from requiring a damage deposit for these animals) and she fled shortly after the deputy departed, we were unable to collect for the damages. The guest who was bitten stated she would be suing the dog owner and I wish her luck. I’m all for the legitimate use of trained and registered service dogs but hotels need to have some verifiable proof that the animals are in fact trained and registered. I also agree that making an extra charge for a service dog is not warranted, however the law also prevents us from requiring a refundable damage deposit. My suggestion is to amend the ADA laws to provide a recognized agency as the sole issuer of registrations/certifications and that those documents include a photo of both the dog(s) and owner. Too many people who want to travel with their pets are wise to claiming them as “service animals” and the law prohibits hotels from even asking for proof. We had a guest who had adopted a “retired service dog”, and claimed the exception. This guest had no physical disability, by her own freely given admission, but felt entitled to bring the dog with her because she had a copy of the dog’s certification. We have had so many problems with guest pets that we instituted a ‘no-pet’ policy about a year ago, but we are continually forced to accept “service dogs” simply because the dog owner claims it to be one.
Jess , can i show you what a ‘service dog’ has done to one of my rooms///literally trashed it!! I refuse to take any service dog…. unless the owner pays a $250 cash deposit and rooms allocated for dogs is vacant… I will NOT entertain a dog in any room as there are children with allergies that also have rights and it cost me $200 to decontaminate a room after a dog has been in there…!
I’m a General Manager of a hotel and we had a service dog attack a 2 year old child in the lobby of the hotel. This attack required an extensive hospital stay and surgery. We try to accommodate all service animals. However there needs to be identification we can ask for.
I’m asked so often about my service dog and if I train them or did I go about getting one, because my dog is so well trained
The truth is .. I trained him myself, I had no formal training or classes . He is registered not to show people who ask but for his protection ! By that I mean if someone gets aggressive with me over lf he a real service dog or not I can simply just show them and not increase my chance of setting off my disability. It’s their ignorance not mine. It’s my responsibility to educate though it just works for everyone.
well this or training for employees i have a good friend that trains service dogs also i know how to identify one many people don’t know that only two types of animals can be service animals that is a dog of mini horse i also work for a hotel and people come in all the time Trying to say they have a service cat there is no such thing you can have a esa cat but not service and esa is not under the same rights as service also if the dog or mini horse is actually a service animal then your going to be able to tell if the animal walks in calm that is a good sign if the animal nis upset and barking or shaking prob not a service animal service animals go through very extensive training in the field theses are just a few tips
We checked into a hotel today where we had made reservations , and we informed the hotel staff that I had a registered, certified service day, and we offered to show them his full portfolio of certification papers. I also have attached to my handbag a copy of his certification with both his picture and mine on it, which I showed to them. They insisted that we would have to stay in one of their “pet friendly” rooms, instead of one of the inside corridor rooms that I had requested. The inside corridor rooms are much quieter, and since my service dog is very protective of me, he does not get agitated by the outdoor noise that comes from the pet-friendly rooms.
Legally, can hotels force service dog owners to stay in their “pet-friendly” rooms, or can we stay in regular rooms the same as other guests?
P.S. My diabetic service dog is a five pound, four oz. toy poodle, who is completely outdoor trained.
No, they are supposed to accommodate you the same way that they would anyone else that doesn’t have any pets. I would report them to the ADA and complain to their management because they shouldn’t have done that especially since you requested otherwise.
I have and my family has allergies. So why do you think it’s ok for me to get sick if your dog has been in a room. The article says dogs are allowed in rooms not designed for people traveling with pets. How is that fair for young children and people like me ????
Why is it fair for a 19 or 20 year old kid to get PTSD or PTAD? I was diagnosed with PTSD at 20 years old for things witnessed and done in a hot zone. I have lived the last 16 years in a borderline panic. Yes, I agree, before you say it, that I volunteered to be a soldier. Furthermore I agree that I chose the job I chose. But I didn’t choose to see what I saw. I didn’t agree to be told, no, ordered, keep ak’s, det cord, and old cell phones in my truck, so that justification could be proven when there was none. I didn’t choose that. And quite frankly sir, you have just shown how the uneducated group of people are. Your allergies trump my safety? Trump the safety of people in whatever hotel I choose to stay in? Have you ever been in a situation where you thought an innocent person was trying to kill you? Just because of the way they speak? I think my afflictions trump you and your sons. Because your allergies won’t trigger an episode that puts others in harms way. Look. If the hotel staff were doing their jobs right, there would be no issue as the rooms are supposed to be sterilized after each guest leaves. If your poor self has a runny nose? Take it up with staff. Not the one that has a life altering condition. You sir, are absolutely ignorant.
Sir, with all due respect… you should educate yourself on the affects of allergies. They can cause severe asthma attacks, lead to respiratory infections & respiratory distress which can all lead to fatalities. There are people with lung disease & comprised immune systems also who can be affected by animal dander / hair.
All lives, yours & ours… are important!
Yes, PTSD is real & it’s a sad, terrible thing & has led to the loss of many lives but the same goes for Respiratory issues.
God bless you & Thank you for your service🇺🇸.
There are many breeds of dogs that have hair, not fur..
Its the dander of the animal that most allergies are from. Fur only grows so long. Dogs with hair dont shed, dont have DANDER, that’s why people call them hypoallergenic.
John, if hotel staff are vacuuming, changing linens, and disinfecting surfaces as they should under the requirements of law, there should be no issue. Furthermore, it is impossible to ensure that any place is completely free of allergens. That is when your responsibility comes in. Obviously, if you have allergies, you take preventive measures to lessen the affect of the things you are allergic to. If one restaurant patron had an egg allergy, do you think they would rid the entire restaurant of eggs for one persons sake? No. They wouldn’t.
You are wrong…. Dander gets Everywhere!!! Deep into the couch cushions, into the mattress & pillows & carpet padding! I can tell within minutes if a dog or cat has been in room. No matter how clean it looks!
My daughter just last night was kicked out of her hotel room at 230 a.m. when she came in from a pet potty break. She has severe social anxiety; so when she was forced to leave she was in a full blown attack. She will cowl to confrontation. No refund no nothing. She was forced to “sleep” in her vehicle. I felt helpless.
Exactly…. your health matters as much as someone else.
As a public bus driver we are trained in these matters greatly. They hammer it home that we are allowed to only ask if the animal is a service pet, and what tasks it is trained to perform IF there is still a question. Animals do not need special markings, harnesses, or identification. You have to allow them access to anywhere the public has access to even if someone, including myself, has an allergy. By virtue of that you can’t corral them into a ‘pet friendly’ room if they don’t want to be in one (space permitting of course), or in my case make them sit in the front of the bus where it is wider.
thats what the cleanings are for at the end of every stay
You really showed your ignorance and the reason why they don’t let hotel staff question people on their disabilities. Since your positive only 5% of your guests truly have service animals. And where did you get your qualifications from. I truly love when hotel, store, and other service clerks put on a show and act like they own the business or are going to get some life changing bonus for humiliating the consumer. As the Rock says your role know it your mouth shut it.
to be honest its you who need to shut your mouth, my dad has a service dog as well, and I am a GM at a hotel and I see way to many people claiming that they have service dog, and I know its not. okay I know that I am not allowed to ask to dogs paper or ID, but if you truly have a service dog, the dog should always be on a leas, and wearing its vest at all time. and I have people trying to bring comfort animals claiming to be a service pet, now the hotel has every right to refuse a comfort animal. and his right only about 5% of people truly have a service dog, rest are just laying. so yea speak from a experience not just from your AAA
Its people like you that are the problem. I own a hotel and can tell you that in the past four years EXACTLY one of our customers that claimed to have an ADA service dog actually had an properly trained and certified dog. In more than one case other customers have confronted people that claim to have an ADA service dog (misbehaving) and the fraudster has removed the animal from the building. On top of this, we have had an avalanche of “comfort anamals” where the customer claims that the dog provides emotional support but is obviously not trained in the most basic behavioral skills. My in-laws train service dogs so I know what a great process it is and how well these animals perform their duties. It is a shame when people that are not in need abuse this law (break the law) for their own personal benefit and therefore make the entire very legitimate process for those in need even harder for all.
Yeah, Danny? Which hotel do you own, exactly?
Jo, why do you ask? Are you upset that the gentleman shared his input and want to grab a picket sign and go disrupt his business. Or maybe you are some loony who wants to go bomb the place or test drive your AR-15. The problem of people claiming pets as “service animals” is real. In fact, only DOGS now qualify for this exception. It’s none of your business which hotel the gentleman owns! Solution: When checking in just ask if the owner is named Danny. If the desk clerk says yes, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. That way everyone will be happy.
I have an ESA DOG and I stayed in a hotel and the charged me $10 per night..I have her I’d card with her picture… I’m outraged that they can do that..and she is protected by the ADA.. what can I do it say to being charged?
ESAs aren’t service animals and have no protections in a hotel. You have to pay the fee.
ESA animals do not fall under the ADA guidelines and are therefore not protected. Hotels may charge you for ESA animals. Just read through the ADA guidelines and that will clear up any questions you may have!
Comfort animals have no right to hotel rooms.
Per the Department of Justice:
(https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html)
Q3. Are emotional support, therapy, comfort, or companion animals considered service animals under the ADA?
A. No. These terms are used to describe animals that provide comfort just by being with a person. Because they have not been trained to perform a specific job or task, they do not qualify as service animals under the ADA. However, some State or local governments have laws that allow people to take emotional support animals into public places. You may check with your State and local government agencies to find out about these laws.
Today, a Comfort Suites in Alexandria, La charged me $125 extra for having my service animal. My dog was quiet the entire time and caused no damage at all to the room. I showed them her identification card and the general manager Chris Patel refused to make a copy stating that my dog was an emotional support animal. No sir she is not, she alerts when when someone is at the door ( hearing loss ), when I need to sit down and take my medication, so I don’t pass out/fall and hurt myself. I wasn’t aware that this GM was certified to make that assertion. I even informed the extremely rude eye rolling front desk staff that even though I didn’t have to I would show her my medical papers from the VA. Needless to say a case has been opened with their corporate office, now I have to wait a see how this will be resolved. I suggested that their staff be trained of ADA laws/policies.
Maybe it’s not too late to file a complaint with the Department of Justice.
ADA WEBSITE
https://www.ADA.gov
ADA INFORMATION LINE
800-514-0301 (Voice) and 800-514-0383 (TTY)
M-W, F 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. , Th 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) to speak with an ADA Specialist. Calls are confidential.
You can ask them the go to questions:
1. Is it a service dog?
2. What service do they provide?
If their dog is actually registered then they will know exactly how to answer those questions
Because not all people who have service dogs have certificates and certainly don’t travel with them (speaking as a trained front desk agent at a hotel) and not all trained service animals have certifications to begin with. Nothing wrong with having the paper if it makes your life easier but no one should be asking in the first place. Not hotels. Not airlines. Nobody.
Why does that bother you so much, Jay? It is a good thing that people don’t have to be harassed and embarrassed by ignorant employees by requiring them to show ID.
I also work at a hotel. I have printed off from the ADA website, where it states Q”are emotional support, therapy, comfort, or companion animals considered service animals under the ADA?” A.” No. These terms are used to describe animals that provide comfort just by being with a person. Because they have NOT been trained to perform a specific job or task, they do NOT qualify as service animals under the ADA.” When a guest tells me they have a service dog, I ask the above. If it is one of the above, I tell them as per the ADA…. and they still have to pay the pet fee. Most people tell us it is a service dog to avoid the pet fee. The ones that try to avoid the pet fee, don’t have the dog with them when they check in. A service dog must be with the handler at all times and it has to be under the handlers control, not jumping on other guests. Next time you walk into a walmart, look on their door. They have a sign that states the above about emotional support. Read up on hotels and service animals, it will help you a lot. I have guests trying to check in with up to 5 service dogs. Read up on that as well. People can have more than 1 ESA. the website ada.gov is very helpful. It also tells you what questions you can ask. It is really sad that so many people have ruined it for others who have a actual service dog. Anyone can go into petsmart and buy their animal a vest. Also, on the ADA website it clearly states a service animal is defined as a DOG, however I believe a mini horse is also one. I have had someone trying to check in with a monkey, a cat, 5 birds and 1 snake, all trying to tell me they are their service animals. On that website it also tells you what questions we are allowed to ask. I hope something here was useful.
No hotel or airline can charge a pet fee for a certified service animal. I checked this with my lawyer today as we are planning to travel with to ACTUAL service dogs. Hotels also cannot restrict you to certain rooms. You CAN ask if it is a service animal and what task it performs and nothing else! You cannot charge for the animal period
You are correct. Any animal can serve as a support animal. This can include snakes, pigs, other farm animals, and of course dogs and cats.
I think you make a good point
We recently stayed in Kissimmee Florida with our 2 dogs
I am a 100% disabled veteran with many disibilities. My dog is listed as a P.T.S.D. in training. He is certified and licensed My daughter is severely autisic and her dog is registered and licensed for that.
The motel told us neither could be excepted due to neither P.T.S.D. or Autism were life threatening
I filed a complaint but haven’t heard a word.
We have no problem showing anyone our dogs certification or shot records. We get this 90% of the time.
Jay. I’m there with you. I’m a hotel Manager and in fact, I was reading about this today because this bitchy guest did not want to pay the CLEANING FEE. It’s not a pet fee, but a pet cleaning fee. People with animals don’t really think how much time takes to clean a room after their lovely pets leave behind. there are many people including me with pet allergies and I cant tell right away when I pet was in a room and wasn’t properly cleaned as I start sneezing and or coughing. But sure all they care is about their pets and not also what those furry things can cause a person with asthma or other allergies. The dog this lady had with her was a tiny animal which I don’t think should qualify as a SERVICE animal because what that little tinny thing will do in case that she gets sick or needs assistance. I think this STUPID law is just a way to make money for stupid people that think they have a service animal and in fact, they don’t have any health issues!
No hotel or airline can charge a pet fee for a certified service animal. I checked this with my lawyer today as we are planning to travel with to ACTUAL service dogs. Hotels also cannot restrict you to certain rooms. You CAN ask if it is a service animal and what task it performs and nothing else! You cannot charge for the animal period. You may only charge if there is damage to the room
Did you know that some service dogs can detect changes in blood sugar levels (by smell) and alert their handlers that they need to take medication to prevent a diabetic coma, thus saving their lives? The size of the dog does not matter and some disabled people do not “look disabled.” There are many more invisible disabilities that service dogs can be trained to help with. Maybe you should re-think your some of your assumptions?
I am glad to see that someone else understands about Allergies!
How many years have people gone without taking their dogs with them? And now they need them to survive! Some cases, I understand, like being blind but just because you’re a diabetic & cant temper to check your insulin or take your meds…. nope… you can set an alarm on your phone or watch for that!
What about our rights? It seems everyone else is happily accommodated. If people care about the rights of others who have illnesses, then what about the rights of a particular group who is being treated as second-class, in regards to respect for the seriousness of their illness? There is an illness that can kill some people. However, most others never think about it; and maybe wouldn’t care even if they did realize it. What about those who have life-threatening allergies to animals? What about our rights? We’re met with unsympathetic “sorry. It’s the law. We *have to* accept service animals.”(Same with tree-nut and peanut allergies! Try to find a restaurant – any – that can accommodate customers with allergies.) It’s very hard to find hotels that do not accept pets. Same issue with apartments, houses, and now even with businesses. I was told once I shouldn’t come in to a doctor’s office, because the doctor brought his pet in every day as a support animal for his patients. Those of us with animal allergies are running out of options. Please check & see for yourself how difficult it is, if you doubt this. Thank You!
I agree with you 💯!
Even Hotel staff are taught about HIPPA & just as in, let’s say a Dr Office or Hospital, they are to abide by that. They should be allowed to ask for the Service Animal ID Card & allowed to ask any other pertinent questions… all while keeping it confidential!!! And… then… make judgement call whether to allow it to stay or not!
And as for Discriminating against people with Disabilities…. Physical or Mental…. what about Discriminating against people with Respiratory issues or Allergies?!? Animal Dander or Hair can lead to Severe Asthma Attacks, Respiratory Distress, Respiratory Infections & even Death!!!
How…. are these people Less Important than others?!?!
At the very least…. Hotels should be made to Designate Specific Rooms & Floors to people with Service Animals & ONLY Allow them to stay if they have an Official Service Animal ID!!!
What makes one life more important than another???!!!???
This has gotten way out of control people are going everywhere carrying dogs now and saying they are service animals because they don’t have to have any proof and it is not right to other people who are sick & can be made even sicker because of been exposed to those animals!!!
Someone…. needs to look at & Revise this ACT!!!
I love animals. I love love love my baby girl Pearl. A rare silver white miniature schnauzer that I adore with my life. She’s part of the family.
Having said that it’s just absolutely truly sad that some PET owners – just like drivers with disabled placard on their cars that lets the TRULY disabled person park close in & gives them the space they need to drive & park their cars – are so selfish. These PET OWNERS blatantly show an immense amount of disrespect to those fellow citizens who truly are disabled and in need various tools & laws to protect themselves from true discrimination. I’m legally disabled. I have one of those placards. I’m a loving pet owner.
But I could not – as a RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS – claim my Pearl is a service animal when I know she is not. I couldn’t for the same reason I absolutely disdain those Cheating Lying Disrespectful Dishonest & Selfish drivers who use other’s ADA Placards to park in the very few spaces I really really need some days.
As the the disabled airlines, trains, buses & hotels don’t owe us anything except to be treated fairly & with respect under the law. Cheaters Liers and Cons like some PET OWNERS who use and abuse and break the ADA Laws by claiming their pets are service animals make it harder for those truly disabled (like me to and those disabled that need a service animal) to recieve that justice the ADA Laws were supposed institute.
I work at a hotel as well and have serious doubt the dogs are service animals. It makes me mad people use the “He’s my service animal” but yet allows everyone to touch and hug on the dog. It’s not fair to hotels because the rooms have to be deep cleaned because of animal dander. During a hurricane 3 years ago numerous guest came from Florida one of which supposedly had a service dog that was infested with fleas. It took 3 weeks to completely rid the room of the fleas. The guest and dog were here for close to a week. Service animals should not have fleas right?
I completely agree. People abuse this rule, damage the hotel, then we have to incur the loss. It’s not right. I wish that law would change just a bit.
An AirBnB host recently quoted a service fee to us for my husband’s service dog in violation of THEIR own policies. So it looks like even those who are AirBnB hosts don’t know their own rules and regulations. We have not decided whether to report this to AirBnB or not but the email exchange took place via AirBnB so either this person doesn’t care or he doesn’t know or he figured my husband was trying to get over on him with a fake service dog. Unfortunately, that has become all too common with people wanting to have their dog with them all the time and getting fake ids and jackets for their untrained dog. It is quite obvious when a dog is not a trained service dog. We have had to educate many restaurant staff who want to sit us only in outdoor seating and hotels who try to put us in a pet room not knowing my husband’s service dog is an extension of him and performs a very important function for him.
I am the number one rated Airbnb host in the world. 4,500 groups and counting. I do not charge a cleaning fee. EVERYONE ELSE DOES!! i do not.. i am not pet friendly because my brother DIES if he comes in contact with dog hair or dander in closed spaces. Recently i had a guest bring a CLEARLY not service dog into my condo and DESTROY IT! peed everywhere. shed over everything. DIsaster! AIRBNB wont even let me charge this person a cleaning fee!! i had to pay $140 to clean a condo i rented for $90. Im sorry your husband has a ligitimate need for a service dog. But you are one in 100 people who actually have a certified one! these pricks abuse this so much and its not fair to me or to any Airbnb host.. be curtious. a dog is a dog is a dog.. your service dog will still make my brothers airway close up and he will still die.. i dont care if you have a need for a dog.. i appreciate that.. but my brother life is more important. dont bring you service dogs to Airbnb listings that say no pets WITHOUT PERMISSION! some of us have very legitimate reasons! my brother cant breath around dogs or even dog hair.. so ALWAYS TELL YOUR HOST and if they want to charge you more.. PAY IT!! it takes us 3 times as long to clean up after a dog. Rant over..
I work at a hotel and we have people to come here and stay. They bring dogs here and they say they are service dogs but I know they’re not how can we get around this so we won’t have dogs stay in here that are not service dogs.
You state “you know they are not”, how do you “know” this? I’ve a balance issue, from a brain injury, looking at me, you would think there is absolutely nothing wrong with me, but the reality is, I have a dibilitating condition, I feel as if I’m spinning, all the time, and I have prism glasses to help with this disorder, but you wouldn’t know that either, but just looking at me. I hold my husbands arm, or hand when walking, but I now have a service dog to help me with my balance issues… I can walk by myself, for a very short distance, but it is absolutely debilitating, and literally hurts my brain… So these people, and their service dogs, that you say “you KNOW are not”, may have a disability that is not visibable, so please do NOT be so judgmental…
We know this because service dogs are trained not to bark at people, urinate on the floor, ect. It’s not based on observations of the person with the disability, but of the dog itself. It’s very obvious most of the time. Sorry, but if somebody is lying to take advantage of ADA, I’m going to be super judgmental. It makes things harder for people with legitimate service animals.
You are allowed to kick legitimate service dogs off the premises if they are barking and the handler does nothing to control it. Same with urination and dedication. Obviously dogs get sick, and that can lead to accidents. If the service dog handler tries to fix the problem, don’t kick them out. If the dog helps when someone steps on it’s tail, that doesn’t count either. But if a dog is routinely barking or relieving indoors, staff are within the ADA law to have them removed.
Exactly. Legimatate service animals NEVER disrupt or soil.
You might also consider these animals are in training. Ours took almost 2 years to train them on peeing on foreign ground. As far as barking lot of dogs bark when your to close to their owner
I just got a very small service dog that I am training to help with my PTSD. No, I never served in the arms forces however my 2 year old son was murdered by a family member and my daughter who is now 9 suffers from her sexual and emotional and physical abuse, that none of my family was aware of until it was too late.
I definitely do not look like I would need a service dog nor is it physical.
This dog helps me to get back to reality during a flashback and once older, will help me get my medicine during a panic attack. I have to be so careful with my anxiety because it isn’t just anxiety attacks; I have hypertension so when I go into a panic attack my blood pressure rises above normal numbers (210/120). It’s a shame because it isn’t hurting anyone! And someone with allergies, maybe take some medicine? I mean we are all hear to help other people and not think solely on ourselves. Maybe we wouldn’t need service animals if humans were more compassionate and not trying to DISPROVE service animals more than HELP those 🤜🏻🎤👇🏻
I am so sorry for the loss of your beautiful son. May God Bless You and Your Son’s beautiful soul.
I also work in a hotel, she did not say that she can tell they aren’t service animals because of how the person looks. So do NOT be so rude as to assume that’s what she means. Service animals have a certain personality as to how they behave around other people and in new places. I agree it is harder when we can’t ask them to identify the service animal, but as this website states they are still responsible for any damages so I don’t think it is that big a deal. And most of the people who come in to the hotel I work at offer the service animal ID right away.
I went to my timeshare in Mexico and was denied my service dog. I have all her paperwork. They said 3 months ago that they were no longer letting service dogs stay there. I went in March of this year. They made me leave my dog at a boarding house not even close to me. Is this legal. Hope someone can answer this for me.
Service dog or not, all should have to pay a fee if there is a fee to have you dog at a hotel. It’s more a matter of cleaning up after the dog has left. Sure the owner is responsible for the pet but they’re usually long gone before anyone has noticed there is any mess or damage done. I don’t mind paying a pet fee for my animal. But just because your dog is a service dog doesn’t mean you should be exempt from the fee also. At least that is my opinion. And if they don’t have to pay the fee for their service animal then they should show documentation because then everyone will say they have a service dog to avoid a fee. Which isn’t fair to the establishments.
And if your service animal is 100% non shedding? There is nothing to clean up then.
Ranae, that would be a violation of ADA law. Good thing you aren’t in charge of making laws for the disabled. Requiring guests with disabilities and legit service animals to pay more is like charging a fee for using a wheelchair ramp or paying to park in a handicapped spot. You can’t make the disabled pay for their legal access rights. Perhaps you should read up on ADA law.
Some people with service dogs cant always afford to pay a fee.
I agree. If the animal makes a mess pay to clean it up. Or do as we do ours. Ours are in their cages or in a pen. I don’t mind paying extra I just don’t like to be turned down for having them
Ada doesn’t cover Mexico … it’s only for the United States.
You went to Mexico. Check the laws (or lack thereof) before you travel outside of the US or Canada.
Mexico is not part of the USA…here you can provide fake papers to get free dog boarding, mexico does not need to adhere to ridiculous laws
I agree with providing documentation. What’s the harm of asking for a certificate? It doesn’t have to state your condition. I agree that people lie about their pets as service animals. I have seen so called service animals misbehaving and even grabbing food from other guests plates at breakfast at our hotel. Humans have been lying since the dawn of mankind, so why would that change in current times? Even famous actors are being caught for lying about having service animals on airplanes. Just today I had to argue with someone who was complaining that animal hair could cause her to go to the hospital for asthma problems. As stated by others, we provide documentation to prove our age, our nationality, our membership, etc, etc,. Why not provide documentation for your service animal? We are not against service animals, just the false claims that people use to get away with allowing their pets in where they are not welcome.
Service dog handlers do not have documentation. None is recognized by the government as being legitimate. If there was, unfortunately, people would just fake that too. People have fake IDs to get into bars and create counterfeit currency all the time. It’s a real problem for everyone.
This truly shouldn’t be an issue. Those of us who have legitimate service animals have NO problems showing their credentials. Likewise, we, their owners should be aware that there are only two questions anyone may ask regarding the animal; is it a service animal & what service does the animal perform. As a legitimate service dog owner I don’t have an issue, either, if uninformed people ask what my dog does for me because I recognize that they’re simply curious. Hopefully me taking the time to answer their questions will educate & enlighten them in the future.
Regarding the comment from the person about their service animal in Mexico…I took my dog with me to Cancun about a year ago & while still under US guidelines airlines are subject to ADA regulations so service animals fly free. The airline attendants asked their appropriate two questions in all instances. However, once out of the USA proper or provinces all bets are off & countries are free to follow their own guidelines. Mexico currently only recognizes “recognizable” services for animals. That being said, be prepared to pay whatever rates hotels in foreign countries require or to “board” your animal if your intended destination doesn’t allow animals on any kind (as is currently their right).
Now, to the person who stated that service animals should only be allowed in certain rooms…Where does one draw the line? People are allowed to perfumes so should hotels only allow persons who don’t wear perfume to stay in certain rooms? Infants sometimes urinate outside of their diapers; as do toddlers who are being potty trained. So should hotels designate certain rooms for those people traveling with small children?
While it’s true that some people push the system to its limits & claim to have service animals who aren’t, the key is still education. As stated earlier, ALL legitimate service animal owners are more than happy to answer those TWO required questions ( most are happy to expound on those for educational purposes) & most carry identification that our animal is a service animal (although not an ADA requirement). Because it is not currently a requirement that the animal display “service animal” accoutrements or that the owner carry “service animal” documentation there are people who will take advantage of this situation & attempt to present their pets as service animals. Perhaps the greater fight for establishment owners should be with the ADA but that would involve the arena of stigmatization which is what precipitated the ADA’s initial decision not to require identification!
Guess common sense remains our only guideline; sad but true. If establishments doubt that an animal is service related, ASK, & know what you may ask. If you question the validity of an animal, challenge the individual. You may win & those of us who are legitimate service animal owners will welcome & not be threatened by the challenge.
I believe in fairness to everyone; Service dog owner should carry a certificate like an ID, to make it easy on everyone. with that hotel and other public places shall allow guest with disability and service dogs. Similar to what we have as designated parking spot and the person must have a decal on their vehicle.
See post above. ADA does does require this due to the stigma associated with “labeling”.
All these comments and opinions are very interesting. I think that one should not have to show proof of legitimacy, but if their service animal acts out in any way, then the management of the establishment should be allowed to ask for an ID. I have a service dog who helps me medically and another one who is a medical service dog for my asthma and a second psychiatric service dog who helps with my ptsd and anxiety. I look very normal and my dogs are very happy and seem normal as well. I don’t have any vests; just a patch on each of their collars, so they look like pets. I’m about to go on my first vacation with them and stay at a hotel. I notified the hotel but it’ll still be interesting to see how this goes since I have two.
How did it go? I’m going on vacation with my friend and her 1yr old german shepherd. She has doctor paperwork saying he is a service dog. She couldn’t afford a grown one already trained, so she bought a puppy once she finally got disability retro pay. Where did you get yours and how did you handle the cost?
My service dog will only bark at people who talk to her while she’s working. We have tried to train it out of her but the only thing we can think about it is that she knows they aren’t supposed to acknowledge her so she barks to get them to leave her alone. If they ignore her as they are supposed to, she ignores them.
I can’t keep mine from greeting people, she just absolutely loves people, I have not been able to break her from it, but she brings souch joy to others and it doesn’t interfere with her job.
My service animal was taken out of my hotel room by hotel staff and animal control. I have never met such ignorance by any hotel staff. This was at Ramada inn Reno Nevada. When I returned they kicked. Me out of room. My animal is ADA certified and I was checkedand with my service animal by my side on a leash with a service vest on the hotel staff then told me that they didn’t have it as a service animal in the room okay even though I checked in and told him it was a service animal and I was not charged for the animal this is the most horror v critic night I’ve ever endured I can’t believe this hotel did this to me I feel like I under law I had the right to sue I will be contacting an attorney to further address the situation they still have not returned my service dog to me and I’m having very very emotional problems with this whole situation the service animal has been used for seizures also heart attacks he alerts he’s such a good dog and I just want my family back
I work Security for a large Hotel in Las Vegas and you would not believe the stories and incidents that I’ve had to deal with because the so-called service dog has been left unattended and is barking and had accidents all over the room while the owners were out having “fun”. We are a pet friendly hotel however our policy clearly states that the dog must be in a kennel and cannot be left unattended for more than four hours. We attempt to contact the guest and inform them of the incident …if they do not respond back to the hotel after four hours we reserve the right to have the animal removed by animal control to alleviate the complaints that we received about the dog . Our policy also dictates that if they are not an accredited service dog that a deposit will be paid upon arrival and refunded when they left if the room is not damaged . Service dogs are not subject to a deposit unless they caused damage to the room and then I guess will be charged . Emotional support animals are not service animals and therefore are subject to our animal deposit rules and regulations.
An ADA service animal is required to be at your side or it is not performing in a service animal capacity. If it was left in your room unattended by you or your designee, the hotel was within their right to have your animal removed!
David Lahman if your dog is a service animal then you should know you cannot leave her/him unattended. Why would you if it is performing a service for you? Service dogs are allowed anywhere so there is no excuse for leaving them unattended.
I manage a Hotel and have been concerned about guests taking advantage of these A.D.A rights of service dogs. I believe all service dogs helping there owner should by A.D.A requirements ware a vest making aware to staff/management and customers of the hotel, that they are in fact a service dog working for a patient. Many customers have used these laws by A.D.A to avoid the pet fee required by non assist k9’s at many hotels. In fact service dogs need to be given the respect as trained to there patients needs. This law is left opened to people being allowed to claim there “pet” as a service dog to avoid fee’s made by hotels for the extra cleaning to avoid the allergies many have of pet dander. I hope this post is seen and action taken to stop everyday non disabled customers taking advantage of such rules classified under A.D.A laws.
Thank You Tim! As someone who has life-threatening allergies to animals, I appreciate your respect for those with serious allergies; and for your concern and understanding of this neglected illness. Same goes for those with serious nut allergies. Truly, not many seem to care. Thank You again; and I hope you always find compassion from others, for your own and your family’s concerns. Good Bless You!
Yes, I just had a woman show up to my lodging establishment and not inform me that she was bringing a dog. I got a complaint from another guest that her dog was barking non-stop and had to give a discount to avoid a bad review. What are my rights? This person is trying to book another stay and I told her that we are not pet-friendly and that she couldn’t bring her dog next time. Then she informed me it was a service animal and that I could not deny it staying there. I don’t want her bringing that dog back to disrupt my guests again, what are my rights as the owner of the business, I must have rights too.
https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html
EXCLUSION OF SERVICE ANIMALS
Q25. When can service animals be excluded?
A. If a particular service animal is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it, or if it is not housebroken, that animal may be excluded
Next time the guest comes with a dog without prior notice, just tell her you are full and by error her room was double booked and you have no rooms as her designated room is already occupied !
Good riddance to fake freeloaders !
Why would they be embarrassed to show proper ID? I work for a hotel and most of the owners of service dogs show their IDs at check in. We never ask for proof from guests. We never ask Why they need a service animal. These guests show the IDs because they love their service dogs and are very proud of them. A lot of our guests do claim their dog is a service animal but it’s not hard to pick which ones are NOT the real deal.
I work in a hotel. The majority of clients we have are people who just want to bring there dog along.
I think at the least people should show a service dog id.
It is not fair to the business to pay maids extra to clean up after pets. We should have rights too.
Seems a one sided. We should have rights too. Especially if we own the property.
Agreed … People should not have to share their personal medical history when coming to a service animal . Just because a individual looks healthy does not mean they are .
it might be the law ,but it’s not right to put a service animal in any room. i run a motel, and i believe there should be designated rooms for animals, not to be unfair to anybody who has a service dog ,but to be fair to people who have alleges,also . they should have rights also \.
hey everyone, I work in a Hotel too, and I am having an issue with a guest, she check in and never told us that she had a dog, housekeeping entered her room for service and they saw the dog, we told her that there is a pets fee and now she claims that he is a service dog. we are pretty sure that she pick him up from the street. the room is a mess and the dog is always barking. what should we do in this case?