Service animals are a very specific thing, different from an emotional support animal. A service animal is the same as a wheelchair, essentially.
Edit: I want to specify that I do not know which one Gary was. However, there are two different classes of support animals: service animals and emotional support animals. The latter is the ones you hear a ton about being fraudulent, and there is no official process for certification. Hope that answers the question.
I know. Beyond that I do not believe in the US there is a certification for service animals, at least not legally recognized. There may be some private companies that offer a certificate, but it’s not official in the capacity the term implies.
Q17. Does the ADA require that service animals be certified as service animals?
A. No. Covered entities may not require documentation, such as proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal, as a condition for entry.
There are individuals and organizations that sell service animal certification or registration documents online. These documents do not convey any rights under the ADA and the Department of Justice does not recognize them as proof that the dog is a service animal.
Service animals are a very specific thing, different from an emotional support animal. A service animal is the same as a wheelchair, essentially.
Edit: I want to specify that I do not know which one Gary was. However, there are two different classes of support animals: service animals and emotional support animals. The latter is the ones you hear a ton about being fraudulent, and there is no official process for certification. Hope that answers the question.
I know. Beyond that I do not believe in the US there is a certification for service animals, at least not legally recognized. There may be some private companies that offer a certificate, but it’s not official in the capacity the term implies.
From the ADA website:
Service animals are not:
Required to be certified or go through a professional training program
Further elaborated on their FAQ page:
Q17. Does the ADA require that service animals be certified as service animals?
A. No. Covered entities may not require documentation, such as proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal, as a condition for entry.
There are individuals and organizations that sell service animal certification or registration documents online. These documents do not convey any rights under the ADA and the Department of Justice does not recognize them as proof that the dog is a service animal.