A canine wearing a vest with “Service Dog” patches means that animal is working, assisting their handler who has a disability—or does it? An increase in animal-related incidents and fake service dogs has created suspicion among the public in response to dogs labeled as service animals—which in turn causes distress for people who need a service dog to assist with legitimate disabilities. Is it illegal to fake a service dog? The majority of states have passed laws regarding fraudulent service dogs and emotional support animals—and many new bills were introduced during the 2018 legislative session in states without current laws.
Read More
