Lastly, I want to specifically address this -
It is my understanding that you are located in Florida - is this correct?
If you are, in fact, located in Florida, you should be aware that Florida's animal laws make no specific provisions for Service Dogs in Training and their public access except for the following -
Full Florida statutes on Service Animals here -->
Florida Assistance Animal/Guide Dog Laws
Please note that this applies only to actually being engaged in training. This means that the dog would actually be training very specific tasks, rather than simply accompanying the handler in public places (if those are places where pets are not normally allowed).
What does this mean? Well, it's the difference between making a quick run into a store to work on a specific Service Dog task with your Service Dog in Training and taking your dog shopping. The difference between popping into the outdoor seating area of a restaurant to work on specific commands and going into a restaurant to eat. In other words, the primary purpose for the dog's public access must be that the dog is actually being trained for its future service - not the purpose of socialization, for example, or just to bring the dog along.
Your dog, under the ADA and state law, is currently
not a Service Dog, although she is alerting to your daughter's seizures by herself. She will not be a seizure alert / response dog until she has been trained
specific, demonstrable tasks - at least three of them. (Be aware also that the law does not recognize seizure alert as a
trained, demonstrable task because it is
not trained, only reinforced behavior.)
Just some thoughts. And since you don't know me from Adam, I am absolutely, 100% an advocate for Service Dogs and their use.
8) Any trainer of a service animal, while engaged in the training of such an animal, has the same rights and privileges with respect to access to public facilities and the same liability for damage as is provided for those persons described in subsection (3) accompanied by service animals.
