HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut resident Olivia Streaman first applied for a service dog four years ago for her father who has Parkinson’s disease, a decision she calls “life-changing” after it allowed her father to maintain his independence and help with his mobility.
Streaman, who saw up close the powerful bond between her father and his service dog Peanut, now works as a development associate at a nonprofit based in Winsted that trains service dogs. Educating Canines Assisting with Disabilities was founded in 1995 by Lu and Dale Picard. The organization’s mission is to enable people with disabilities to gain greater independence and mobility through the use of specially educated dogs.
Streaman said she and her colleagues are now working to change the laws in Connecticut to make it illegal to intentionally fake a service dog, a problem they say is unfairly giving a bad reputation for reputable service dog owners like her father. Educating Canines Assisting with Disabilities has launched an online petition to “help protect service dogs and the people who rely on them.”
According to Streaman, a misrepresented service dog is an untrained pet that an owner knowingly and falsely claims to be a legitimate working service animal. Sometimes these dogs will wear fake vests or paperwork claiming they are service dogs, she said.
“It’s hard for my dad to talk and be heard clearly,” Streaman said. “At Costco, recently, he’s been questioned because a dog before went into the store and went to the bathroom. Another dog apparently barked aggressively one time and that made staff there hesitant to allow dogs inside. Peanut is a trained service dog who follows my dad and helps with his mobility. Sadly other pet owners who falsely claim their dog is a true service dog are doing a disservice to people like my dad.
“Because of the questioning, it caused anxiety and made my dad not want to go again,” Streaman said. “One of the purposes of a service dog is to give their handlers greater mobility and confidence to be independent and leave their homes. But when they are being questioned constantly, it makes them want to be more reclusive and stay indoors.”
Streaman said more people are misrepresenting pets as service dogs, often using vests, badges, certificates or online “registrations” bought on the internet, despite the dog not being a true service dog. A true service dog trains for 1,500 hours or roughly two years before being matched with an owner, she said. Service dogs do not usually come with an official vest, paperwork or collar, which makes faking a service dog easier, but she said you can tell the difference.
“A true service dog will have a very good temperament, they will not bark or get too excited, they will also not leave their owner’s side,” Streaman said. “Being able to watch how the dog behaves with its handler is the biggest tell. A legitimate service dog will not get distracted easily, bark or sniff around. Once the vest is put on a service dog, it’s incredible to watch them step into that helper role immediately.”
A growing debate
Kasey Nash, who started Joyful Paws Service Dogs in Windsor in 2017, said there is a debate among the community over misrepresented service dogs, but she said she does not believe many people are intentionally faking or misleading others.
“I think there has to be some nuance in this debate from my experience working with service dog owners. Many times dogs are not trained adequately,” Nash said. “You have to remember some of these handlers are severely disabled and sometimes the dog is not properly or professionally trained and can exhibit behavioral issues. It’s not that the owner is being intentionally misleading, it’s that the dog just isn’t trained properly.
“The word ‘fake’ is a bit of a loaded term, because it implies that a person is not disabled and knowingly takes a pet outside in public as a service dog,” Nash said. “But many times, it is someone who is disabled and someone who has trained their dogs for their disability, but they didn’t do the training right or didn’t have the right support. Often times, without proper training, a service dog can poorly behave. Not everyone can afford a full service dog.”
A typical service dog can cost upwards of $40,000, a financial barrier for many people who are disabled, she said. Nash offers training to handlers for those who cannot afford a fully trained service dog. Her business allows handlers to bring in their own service dogs for training. For many, this is the only accessible and affordable way to have a service dog, she said.
Every potential service dog training plan will look different, depending on the individual dog, person, type of disability and past training experience, she said. Nash offers different types of training lessons to support owner-training and she said how often someone wants to come in is based on their own needs and budget.
“I will always strive to work within individual budgets, using group classes, seminars and webinars to minimize training costs where possible, and offering outside resources for self-motivated people to learn from.
Nash said the laws regarding service dogs under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act are intentionally vague. Under the current law, no professional is required to train a service dog. The law does not require anyone to use a professional trainer or an accredited training program. In addition, no official certification is required under the law. There is no official government registry, ID card, or certification required by the ADA, meaning people do not need to present any ID or paperwork, she said.
“The laws are vaguely written as to what qualifies as a service dog, that is certainly true, but ultimately that means more people can have access,” Nash said. “I actually agree with the laws we have in the United States. Another thing that comes up a lot is that people don’t know the service dog laws. I think if we’re going to address the problem of poorly trained service dogs, I don’t think we should attack the individual person. I think part of the solution is educating businesses on what they can do and what their role is.”
Laws as they stand now
According to the Advocates for Service Animal Partners, business owners can legally ask a service dog handler just two questions under the Americans with Disabilities Act: Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability? What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
Workers, however, cannot demand medical papers, ID cards or proof of training, according to rules under the ADA. In addition, trained service animals are legally allowed anywhere that the general public is permitted to go. Emotional support dogs and pets, which are not trained for a disability and do not have the same legal status, can be denied entry.
“Part of the way businesses can defend themselves is through asking those two questions,” Nash said. “If someone was intentionally faking a service dog, they would probably not be able to answer those questions very well. Also, the other side of it, is that even if someone answers those questions appropriately, there are behaviors to look for. If the dog is behaving aggressively or jumping on people, it can become more obvious the dog is not properly trained.”
Because the requirements under the ADA for service dogs are vague, workers cannot deny entry to someone in a public space who claims to have a service dog, since no paperwork is required to be shown. Under the ADA requirements, service dogs are legally permitted to accompany their handlers into all areas where the general public is allowed.
Some service dog advocates, like Streaman, said more than half the country has already passed laws against fraudulent service dog misrepresentation and that Connecticut is behind.
Misrepresenting a pet as a service animal is illegal in a majority of the states. Depending on the state, first offenses carry civil fines ranging from $100 to $500, while repeat offenses or stricter states treat it as a misdemeanor with potential jail time.
Last year, the Connecticut senate passed SB 1386, a bill mainly about dog-breed insurance that also directed a state commission to study whether a misrepresentation penalty should exist for service dogs. The commission did not create a penalty and it did not become law, according to Streaman.
“We are asking the Connecticut General Assembly that if someone knowingly misrepresents their pet as a service dog they will have to face repercussions,” Streaman said. “We’re just asking to keep the momentum going and have circulated a petition online. We just want there to be a penalty in place as many states already have.”
To learn more about ECAD’s mission and volunteer opportunities, go to www.ecad1.org