Service dogs

To be a certified therapy dog:

• My German shepherd had to be a minimum of 1 year of age and live in the household for a year; 

• Take the AKC Canine Good Citizenship Class (at PHS) and pass a 10-step test required for the pet therapy program;

• Be assessed and certified by a PHS animal behaviorist; and

• Pass a background check and begin the pet therapy program.

The AKC class determines that the dog is well behaved, under control around people and dogs and accepts handling by others. The pet therapy assessment  assures the dog’s temperament and tolerance for pulling and tugging without becoming aggressive, is not spooked by people with disabilities in wheelchairs/walkers, can tolerate crowds and loud noises.  

In spite of all the training and certification, a therapy dog does not have the rights and protections that certified service dogs enjoy under the federal disabilities law. So was the dog in Mr. Chapman’s article a legitimate service dog or the possessor of a certificate provided online after answering a few questions and paying a fee? Or was the dog an “emotional support dog” which only requires a letter from an MD stating the person needs the dog for emotional support. Shouldn’t any dog providing these special services be required to go through a legitimate training and certification process? And currently the disabilities law only permits an entity to ask if the dog is certified but cannot ask for proof. Shouldn’t that be changed? 

Bruce F. Thompson

Burlingame