Top 10 Things about The Ada And Service Animals

If that cat comes over here, I swanny. The ADA -- . Welcome back to let's hear for the boy I'm Victoria and this is Washington my service dog. Today we're gonna be talking about the top 10 things you may or may not know about the ADA and service dogs and their handlers. Let's get to it! Maybe he's no Romeo But he's my lovin' one man show Oh Oh oH oh!!! Lets Hear it For The Boy!!! Service animals and their handlers are actually protected by the ADA a which is the Americans with Disabilities Act title II. Service animals are not pets. They're not actually -- they're not!! They're just -- they-- they got to work so stop petting him in public. Okay? It is illegal to ask the person with a disability "what is your disability"? It's illegal. So Stop. Emotional support dogs are not service animals. *Gasp* WHAT!?! WHY!?!? *sigh* Under the US federal law comfort animals are defined as animals that are there for the person with disability by being there. They do not by law, preform a task for a person with disability and they're allowed in housing. So basically what that means is any animal can be a comfort animal because it doesn't perform a specific task for a person with a disability. That's what separates comfort animals from service animals. A church actually has the right to deny your service animal. Fun little fact. I actually almost got turned down from going into a religious affiliation here in town. I went in and I had his harness on Washington my service dog and they said "I'm sorry we can't allow dogs in here". And I was like "Well first of all. Service dog. Hello. Service Dog. Not dog. Service Dog. Okay." I basically said "Okay well I will not be able to worship here today because if he can't come with me and if I can't use him during worship, I won't be able to worship here." So I started turning around but thankfully someone else knew me already because I'd been going for a few years before I had gotten Washington my service dog. There were you know "no no no wait don't go! No! Come back!" Come back!!! Come back!!! *Cries* They were -- They were fine. You actually have the option to train your own service animal. Now this can be a little tricky because there's tons of different types of service animals. Service animals for the blind, service animals for the deaf, Service animals for seizures, service animal for heart rate and blood sugar and all that good jazz. And also service animals for *Clapping* Mobility!!! There are different types of service animals, and yes you can train them if you want. But that comes with a cost. I trained my own service animal. That would be him. If you know what you want and if you feel like you can do it and you have the time and you have the effort and you have the blood and you have the sweats to do it. Do it. I think there are pros and cons to training your own service animal. And that's for another video because list is way too long. I definitely don't regret training my Service Animal. And putting all my -- *Bark* Well now I do!!! And putting all my time and effort. Our bond is so much stronger it. It really is. So I'm grateful for him. I'm grateful the opportunity of training my own service dog. *whispers* Sometimes. It is illegal to distract a service dog from working. It really is. It's illegal. When you're out and Kroger, or you're out in the Best Buy you're on Walmart, or you're out in Publix -- you get the picture! And you see a puppy that looks so irresistibly adorable! It's against the law to distract him. So Don't! The one thing I know my fellow service animal handlers will like agree with me, it's just not okay because it can distract a service animal from doing the work that is supposed to do for their handler for their disability. So when you distract him you could cause some major issues you may have triggered something and you just never know. The service animal is always supposed to be there for their handler medically physically, whatever they may be. It can actually potentially cause physical bodily harm to service animals handler. So don't do. It's just common courtesy. It could save the handlers life and you don't do it. It's illegal. I always like to think of it as Cesar Millan No look! No Touch! No eye contact. So just keep that in mind when you're out in public and you see a dog. Even if it doesn't have harness. You never know. I have some friends that actually have a service animal without a harness and they still are working. Service animals are actually legally allowed to ride in ride-sharing car services. So that can be from a taxi to an uber to a lift. I work at a nonprofit organization. Some of the things I help with is actually information and referral. I actually had this one lady call me up and she's like um "Are we legally allowed -- to allow -- like allow -- like let them be in the car dogs? Like they say it's a service animal". I know I'm like oh "Um yes yes ma'am" Cuz she's like and then she's like "I actually turn them down". *wincing* Yeah... You kinda broke the law there. And she's like "Oh you are"? "Yeah you kinda have to let them ride with you". If you wanted to learn and I appreciate it when people want to learn when they make a mistake and that's what she wanted it to do. So if you want to become an Uber driver Lyft driver a Taxi driver, just be aware that you actually do have to allow service animals. So a handler can actually have more than one service animal at a time if it serves a different purpose for the person with the disability. I think it's so cool I love it it makes me happy and I would love to meet someone that has two service animals and that -- I think I'll be just the coolest thing. I'm sorry I just - And no you cannot count as one as a comfort animal and one is a service animal doing something because again, comfort animals are not service animals. This was just funny to me because [laughs] I just think it's funny. Fear of animals and allergies to animals are not a legal reason to kick out a service animal of any business. So this is kind of interesting. I can tell you there's been a few times in his life, I was gonna say my life but -- we haven't actually gotten kicked out because of allergies or fear of of animals, but we have actually been asked to move at a different table at a restaurant. And I'm like "No. No I'd like to sit there please. Thank you." No [laughs] I'm not moving. No! You move! So the US federal law does not actually cover service animals in training. Now wait wait wait! Before you freak out, while this law is true, there are some state laws that actually do cover service animals in training. You did -- you just need a look into your laws, your state laws. And yes I do kind of understand why is the ADA doesn't cover service dogs and training just because they're in training and anything can happen. They could have an accident. If you're anything like me, I brought out my service animal as soon as I got him. Because I wanted him to be able to be okay in church, I wanted him to be okay in meetings, when I was working. And I was like "Is this Okay?" And it was. I've never had an issue. And so you never know. I hope you enjoyed those facts. I'm so desperately sorry if you knew all of them. I was trying to be creative, and I was trying to think of the ones that you may may not know but I'm so sorry if you did. Thank you for watching be sure to like and subscribe and share this video and if you have any questions or just anything leave them down below and I'd love to read them and I'd love to reply to them. So yeah I really appreciate you guys... Oh my dad would kill me that I just said it. So yeah I really appreciate you all. And thank you for watching and I will see you next time! Bye!