exceptional dogs for exceptional people
TRANSCRIPT
Exceptional Dogs for Exceptional People
Encountering Animals in the AirportWallis Brozman
Marketing and Advocacy CoordinatorCanine Companions for Independence®
THE CANINE COMPANIONS® MISSIONEnhance the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships.
EXAMPLES OF SERVICE DOG TASKS
• Retrieving dropped cell phone• Alerting to sounds in the environment• Guiding a person who is blind or visually impaired• Pulling a manual wheelchair• Providing deep pressure and physical support after seizure• Creating a physical barrier between handler with PTSD and other people • Interrupting anxiety behaviors• Alerting to changes in blood sugar
A service dog performs tasks for a person with a DISABILITY
EXPECTATIONS FOR DOGS IN AIRPORTS
EXPECTATIONS FOR A SERVICE DOG TEAM
• Service dogs require years of training to perform specific tasks for people with disabilities.
• Service dogs must be under control.• Service dogs should be clean and behave in a safe manner.
EXPECTATIONS FOR A DOG IN A TERMINAL
• Dogs must be leashed, or tethered in a public space, unless these devices interfere with a service dog’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices.• The individual must maintain control of the animal through voice,
signal, or other effective controls.• This is true for any dog in an airport
BEHAVIORAL GUIDELINES
• What behaviors are not acceptable for a service or emotional support dog?• Aggression-Biting, snarling, growling, lunging, snapping• Uncontrolled barking• Eating off tables or floors• Interfering with other customers
• Begging, jumping, lunging, aggression• Repeated toileting accidents
Fraudulent Service Dogs and the Impact of Emotional
Support AnimalsA Service Dog is More Than a Vest™
SERVICE DOG FRAUD IS MORE THAN A VEST
• A fraudulent service dog is a pet dog that is not trained in tasks to mitigate the handler's disability (or the handler does not have a disability) that is in a public place where pets are not permitted.
• Two types of service dog fraud:• Intentional- “I want my dog to come with me everywhere, so I’m
buying a vest online.”
• Non-malicious- “I see dogs in stores all the time and it doesn’t seem to be a problem, so I’ll bring my dog too. It’s not hurting anyone and no one is giving me a hard time.”
• The owner unintentionally misrepresents a pet as a service dog because they are mimicking others, but the dog doesn’t wear a vest or purport to be a service dog
Why it Matters• When untrained dogs and pets
posing as service animals behave badly, people who actually rely on assistance dogs pay a steep price —added discrimination and
denied access to public places — both violations of the
Americans with Disabilities Act.
IS THIS A VICTIMLESS CRIME?
The presence of a dog that is misrepresented as a service dog spreads confusion about the law and the impact of fraud on those with disabilities who rely on service dogs to be independent
WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT FRAUD?
• Working with other large organizations to provide guidance to legislators• Advocacy educational training for corporations
• Legal advisors• Human Resources training on how to train frontline staff
• Adding input for new state bills• Participation in the federal rulemaking process for ACAA• Bringing awareness to the public about the consequences of service dog fraud
and the true impact it has on our teams
Supporting each and every service dog team and providing input and guidance to teams who reach out with access and accommodation issues
Questions or Comments?
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?Wallis Brozman, Canine Companions for Independence