Why exactly is faking a service dog harmful?

Real service dogs spend years training to improve their handler's quality of life, and that can all go out the window in an instant in the event of an attack. Even if your dog is not aggressive, an untrained dog barking, sniffing excessively, and even staring can be distracting to a service dog, which can be life threatening for their handler. Personally, my service dog, Jessamine, alerts to a high heart rate which can lead to me fainting. If she misses an alert due to someone's pet distracting her, I can get seriously hurt, or even die. Trust me, falling on your head is no fun.

What if my dog is registered as a service animal?

You may be familiar with those online "service dog registries" and sites that claim to sell you "certificates to bring your pet everywhere!" Well truthfully, there is no such thing as paperwork, certificates, or registration for legitimate service dogs. They're fake and hold no legal rights whatsoever. A doctor can write a note for confirming a service dog could be helpful for you, and you can get a certificate if your dog passes training in a program, but those do not have to be presented as proof.

What qualifies as a service dog?

The definition of a service dog is a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. This means that if your dog has been task trained to assist you specifically with your disability (no, emotional support is not a task), it can be a service dog. This does not mean your dog can run wild in stores, though. Service dogs must be under control at all times and house trained as well. Even a legitimate service dog can be kicked out if it fails to comply with these rules.

What if I don't label my pet as a service dog?

Bringing a dog into a place that is not pet friendly, whether or not the dog is labeled as a service dog, is immediately claiming the dog is required for a disability.

What's the difference between an Emotional Support Animal (ESA), a Therapy Dog, and a Service Dog?

Emotional support animals do not have any public access rights. They must be certified by a therapist or doctor and are used to emotionally support those who have depression, anxiety, or other mental illnesses in their own home. Therapy dogs are dogs who are certified to help multiple individuals in a place they are invited to, such as nursing homes and hospitals. Finally, as stated above, service dogs do not require any certification or paperwork, but must go through extensive training to assist one specific disabled individual. Service dogs are allowed everywhere their handler can go, aside from places food is prepared in and sterile environments, like an operation room.

What if my dog is in a cart or stroller?

Placing a dog in a cart, service dog or not, is a health code violation, which you can be fined for. No one wants to put their food somewhere a dog has sat. Although technically a service dog can be placed in a stroller, it is inconvenient, as they cannot alert or respond to their handler's disability, so you may be questioned.

Why should I care?

I'm glad you asked. In case you still insist on bringing your dog into places it doesn't belong, you're actually breaking federal law. Falsely claiming a dog as a service dog is a crime punishable by jail time or a hefty fine in the majority of counties. Even if there are no laws in place specific to faking a service dog in your county, it is federally illegal to distract or otherwise interfere with a real service dog, with punishments ranging from a $100 fine and a month jail time, all the way to a $5000 fine. Service dogs are protected by law, so if your dog harms, attempts to harm one, or otherwise interferes with the work of one, you can be arrested, and/or your dog can be taken away. Not to mention the health codes you are violating, which you can also be fined for.

Service dogs are medical equipment. They go through hundreds of hours of training to ensure the safety of their handlers, and pets have no business being in places they're not welcome. It does make a difference, whether you believe it or not, so please, for the safety of disabled individuals, and your own dog, keep them happy and healthy at home. Taking Fido on a quick grocery trip is absolutely not worth it.

Source: https://www.ada.gov/