BUSINESS EDUCATION SEMINARS ARE HERE!

Are you a business owner or manager?  Do you know the difference between a Service Dog, Therapy Dog and Emotional Support Dog?  Do you know only ONE of these is granted public access privileges when accompanying their disabled handler?  Do you know about the SCAM registries for "certification"?

Do you know the current laws regarding service dogs?  Do you know the 2 questions you are ALLOWED to ask?  Do you know when it is within your RIGHTS to deny access or ask for a dog to be removed? Are you willing to risk you, or a staff member representing you, getting it wrong and possibly facing not only bad press but court proceedings and fines?

All businesses open to the general public must follow the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) regardless of OSHA rules, health/sanitation laws, fear of dogs or allergies.  States can add additional statutes that you must be aware of in regards to Service Dogs in Training and what allowances they have.

We understand how difficult it is for you to know what to do regarding dogs in your business - especially when their handlers are becoming irate or threatening legal action.

Our Business Resource Packs provide everything from staff training kits to store signage.

Want to make sure you are 2017 compliant with Service Dog laws?  I offer 3 options for Business Education seminars.

IN-HOUSE SEMINAR - $149
* 1hr seminar for you and your staff held between 9am - 9pm (by appointment)
* Prerecorded Webinar available at any time for new staff
* Includes ADA compliant Store Signage and Staff Training Information Packs
* Online (Facebook/Email) or phone support
* Held at your place of business for the following locations:

GROUP SEMINAR - $99
* 1hr seminar for up to 30 business representatives per location
* Prerecorded Webinar available at any time for new staff
* Includes ADA compliant Store Signage and Staff Training Information Packs
* Online (Facebook/Email) or phone support

Held in the following cities:

• Charleston, WV
• Beckley, WV
• Princeton/Bluefield, WV
• Wytheville, VA
• Blacksburg/Christiansburg, VA
• Roanoke, VA

ONLINE SEMINAR - $69
* 1hr Prerecorded Webinar available at any time
* Digital copies of ADA compliant Store Signage and Staff Training Information Packs
* Online (Facebook/email) support

SERVICE DOG HANDLER ACCESS CHALLENGE PACKS NOW AVAILABLE!

Federal and State laws can and do vary and as Service Dog handlers are covered by the law that affords them the greatest protection - there may be exceptions in your state for anything from the type of animal allowed to whether Owner Trained / Service Dogs in Training are given access to the same privileges.

I make sure you have the most up to date information from both Federal and State law, with credible/referable resources.  You do not have to worry about getting into a sticky situation and not knowing your rights! 

My Access Challenge Packs give you everything you need to make access easier for you and your service dog.

ACCESS CHALLENGE PACK - $69
* 50 Access Allowed Translation Cards
* 50 ADA Law Cards
* 25 Service Dog Etiquette Cards
* 25 Non-Verbal Response Cards
* 25 Small Business Primer Booklets
* 10 Emergency Personnel / First Responders Info Cards
* DO NOT SEPARATE FROM HANDLER / SERVICE DOG ON BOARD 4"x4"Car Window Decal

* Reasonable Accommodation Request Letter - Employment 
* Reasonable Accommodation Request Letter - Housing
* Medical Necessity Request Letter

* Top 10 SCAM Registries Information Sheet for Businesses

SERVICE DOGS vs THERAPY DOGS vs EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOGS

Do you know the difference between Emotional Support Animals (ESAs), Therapy & Service Dogs?  There is a lot of misinformation and scams out there - be careful!

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL (ESA)

DEFINITION:  A companion animal that provides emotional support to a handler who has been diagnosed with a verifiable mental or psychological disability and has been prescribed an ESA, by their mental health professional, as being needed to assist with daily living.  Just knowing you are anxious or depressed DOES NOT mean you qualify for an ESA.

TRAINING REQUIRED:  No training is required

PUBLIC ACCESS PRIVILEGES:  NONE - they are not allowed in non-pet friendly places.
HOUSING:  You can apply for reasonable accommodation in no-pet housing under the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, depending on which applies to your situation.  Having an animal declared an ESA DOES NOT guarantee they will be allowed in all housing.
TRAVEL:  ESAs may also travel with you on flights (no other form of transportation) if they meet the requirements as laid out in the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA).

ADA law does NOT apply to housing or air travel. 

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THERAPY ANIMAL  

DEFINITION:  A working animal that provides emotional support to a number of people through therapeutic visitation, assisting in trauma counselling, providing support in courtrooms for victims (especially children) who need to give a statement or testify, encourage physical therapy activity and assist in confidence with reading skills .

TRAINING REQUIRED:  Extensive training in Obedience and Manners

PUBLIC ACCESS PRIVILEGES:  AS INVITED - Once a dog is certified through the organization they are going to work with (and therefore covered under their liability insurance), they are allowed in places such as hospitals, schools, rehabilitation centers and nursing homes upon invitation of the business or group.

We train to the standards set out by Therapy Dogs International (TDI), Delta Society/Pet Partners and Love on a Leash. (see more about the PAWsitive Hearts Therapy Program here)

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SERVICE ANIMAL 

DEFINITION:  A working animal (dog or miniature horse) that has been individually trained to assist their handler with a legally diagnosed disability.  The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person's disability.

TRAINING REQUIRED:  Extensive work in Obedience and Manners, Public Access and Task Training

PUBLIC ACCESS PRIVILEGES:  FULL - All handlers of a trained service animal are granted full access rights to have that animal accompany them.  (The animals themselves do not have rights - it is the handler).  Some states extend that to Service Dogs in Training as well but it does vary from state to state.

Handlers and their service animals must be allowed access to anywhere that the general public is allowed, that their presence would not fundamentally alter the course of the business.  There are still exceptions to where a dog must be allowed such as sterile medical environments/burn units, private homes, private clubs, food preparation areas the public has no access to, places like federal agencies and religious institutions that are exempt from ADA law.



And YES you can be asked to leave if your service animal is not housebroken and under control (including excessive barking/whining, aggressive actions, disrupting other patrons of the business etc).

"Under control also means that a service animal should not be allowed to bark repeatedly in a lecture hall, theater, library, or other quiet place. However, if a dog barks just once, or barks because someone has provoked it, this would not mean that the dog is out of control."

Regardless of all the sites advertising "Take your dog everywhere!" - only SERVICE DOGS trained to assist their legally DISABLED handler are allowed in non pet-friendly places.

In 2011, the laws changed to specifically state that assistance animals that provide comfort or a calming influence to their handlers by their mere presence - while helpful indeed - are NO LONGER GRANTED PUBLIC ACCESS PRIVILEGES.  

SCREENSHOT DIRECT FROM THE LATEST 2015 ADA FAQ

The only thing registering your pet as an Emotional Support Dog does is put you on that companies registry.  People have registered everything from paper clips to plastic dinosaur toys to prove that there is NO regulation behind this and it is just a money making business.

SCREENSHOT DIRECT FROM THE LATEST 2015 ADA FAQ

REGISTRATION HAS NO LEGAL STANDING whatsoever and using it to gain access to public places when your dog is not a service animal as defined by the ADA - can in an increasing number of states actually lead to fines or legal action for essentially claiming your pet is a service dog when they are not.

MORE INFO CAN BE FOUND HERE

Make sure whatever source you are using for your information is based directly off of the applicable laws and not a source of opinion or a website trying to sell you anything.

DEPT OF JUSTICE - 2015 ADA REVISED FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
SERVICE AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS - ADA NATIONAL NETWORK