b'words by Anna Cooke, photographs by Anne YarbroughI Only HaveEyes For YouWerecentlyvisitedtheClearwaterMarine has been a proliferation of online companiesAquariumduringtheirDinoRescueexhibit that are appealing to pet owners desire to takewith two Southeastern Guide Dog service dogs their dogs everywhere.and their handlers. The Aquarium allows only These companies are fraudulently mislead-servicedogsontoitspremisesperthe ingthepetownerbyblatantlystatingtheirAmericanswithDisabilitiesAct(ADA)law. productsa vest and/or doctors letter or cer-On occasion, they will make exceptions during tificatewill give their dog the same accessspecial events or pre-approved photo ops.and rights as a service dog. Nothing could beThereasonforourscheduledexcursion further from the truth.wastwo-fold.First,totakestunningpage- Adding to the confusion of those who arestopping photographs. Second, we wanted to not-in-the-know is the fact that in the Uniteduse the opportunity to inform our readers of States, there is no such thing as a service dogan atrocity that is occurring at an alarming rate registrationorcertification.Toputitmoreacross the country. clearly, the ADA does not recognize any pieceHandlerswithtrainedservicedogsare of paper as proof that a dog is a service dog.being unlawfully confronted in businesses who Anyone purporting that their dog is a cer-arequestioningtheirrightsandaccessibility. tified or registered service dog is being unethi-These confrontations are not only humiliating calanddishonest.Ifthedoghasnotbeenand discriminatory, but harmful to the person specificallyobedience-and-task-trained,andwho needs a service dog.the handler does not have an ADA-qualifyingA business owner who knows the differ- disability, then the dog does not fall under theence between a service dog and an emotional protectionoftheADAlaw.Additionally,asupportdogisensuringmorethanjust dog owner claiming their untrained dog is aexemplary customer service during what could service dog is potentially putting a task-trainedbe a PR nightmare. Knowing the rights and service dog at risk.accessibility of a service dog and its handler can On one of his earlier excursions with hismake all the difference in preventing a possible firstservicedogPella, UnitedStatesArmylawsuit. Veteran Sean Brown was confronted by a NewManybusinessownersmayconsider York City restaurants hostess. She demandedthemselves acutely aware and even prepared to to see an ID card that proved Pella was a certi-correctly handle and/or diffuse such a situation fiedservicedogbeforeallowingthementry.in their establishment. The missing link, how- After calmly explaining to the hostess he wasever, is often an uninformed and/or apathetic notrequiredtoshowanyidentificationasmember of their staff. such, and that in fact it was discriminatory,*The measuring stick against which many Sean and Pella were escorted to the back of thebusinesses are wrongfully basing their opinions restaurantforseating.Therestaurantschefandsubsequentdecisionsontheservice-dog began barking across the dining room in anversustherapy-dogissueistheonslaughtof effort to either distract Pella or embarrass Sean.untrained dogs posing as service dogs. There At that point, Sean called for the manager. Continued g*Individuals who believe that they have been illegally denied access or service may file a complaint with the U.S. Departmentof Justice. Individuals also have a right to file a private lawsuit in Federal court charging discrimination under the ADA.**The Department of Justice states that requiring proof or documentation for a service dog for public access is discriminatory. 24 THE NEW BARKER www.TheNewBarker.com'