[ILGHAUS]

Quote: Other species
Some other species of animals are used as assistance/service animals. Primates are sometimes used for their greater manual dextarity, for example. In recent years, prompted in large part by a rule change by the U.S. Department of Transportation grouping emotional support animals in with service animals, many unexpected species have turned up as "service animals"

and

Quote: While people generally think of Helping Hands when they think of primate helpers, that isn't always what they actually see. In Missouri a woman claiming a monkey as an assistance animal was barred from restaurants after it was discovered the monkey wasn't actually trained to do anything and that she was feeding it at a buffet. A man claimed he needed the coolness from his snake to alieviate muscle pain. Another man claimed he needed his parrot to "talk him down" when he became enraged.

To read the rest of this article and to visit the links go to
Link

 

[LadyHawk]

ha!!!!!!!!!! some of those are funny- I know some folks that could use a parrot like that!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ILGHAUS]

Federal Register: June 17, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 117)
Proposed Rules
[Page 34516]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access wais.access.gpo.gov
DOCID:fr17jn08-21

Quote:
Guidance on permissible service animals. In the original regulation
implementing title III, ``service animal'' was defined as ``any guide
dog, signal dog, or other animal,'' and the Department believed, at the
time, that leaving the species selection up to the discretion of the
person with a disability was the best course of action. Due to the
proliferation of animals used by individuals, including wild animals,
the Department believes that this area needs some parameters.
Therefore, the Department is proposing to eliminate certain species
from coverage even if the other elements of the definition are
satisfied.

 

[SunCzarina]

The man with the snake takes it for me!

The department needs to consider doing something sensible, such as requiring ID for service animals. Think about it, delta society or TDI administers a test for therapy dogs.

Why couldn't there be a 'society of service animals'? They would have to checks out the need for the animal (such as reviewing social security disablility determination documents) and observe the animal doing it's job. If it checks out, issue a photo ID that stores, restaurants, etc could ask to see.

Would it be such an imposition on people who legitimately need animals? I think they would welcome this becuase people like the freaky snake guy are taking advantage of their disability.

By the wording of the law, it sounds like I could take Morgan to Walmart becuase she'd perform a service to me by herding my children out of the toy area. (I wouldn't do it becuase that's wrong to the people who actually need a service dog for medical/emotional reasons)

 

[ILGHAUS]

Quote:By the wording of the law, it sounds like I could take Morgan to Walmart becuase she'd perform a service to me by herding my children out of the toy area.

With me it would be my grandkids.

But back to the law, remember the handler must be disabled <u>per the ADA</u> and the animal must be trained to help mitigate the handler's specific disability.