Beware of Assistance/Service Dog Certification Scams!
Make no mistake about it. Genesis Assistance Dogs, Inc. wants you to become an informed consumer, especially as it pertains to organizations offering to certify or register your dog as an assistance dog in Florida. Beware of Assistance/Service Dog Certification Scams!
Now we aren’t lawyers, and we can’t tell you what to do, but we can let you know without hesitation that Federal and State Laws may vary with regard to Service Dog regulations. That said, there is no official federal documentation that will certify your dog as a true assistance or service dog. Companies who sell certification documents serve no purpose other than to perhaps give peace of mind to the person with an assistance dog.
Most of the organizations offering to register a service dog in an official “registry” provide disclaimers that they are not certifying the animal is a animal. They are just officially listing that you have stated that your animal is a service animal. They do not verify that you are disabled. They do not check to see that your dog has received any form of training. They don’t stand behind you if run into trouble with your dog accessing any of the rights provided under the ADA. So our question is: Why would you invest the money on a piece of paper that carries no clout with anyone, anywhere, at any time? These companies also sell packages containing I.D.’s for the dog, I.D. cards for you, certificates suitable for framing and of course special vests, patches, leash clips, etc. We’ve seen prices ranging from $49.00 to upwards of $200.00.
Genesis Assistance Dogs are put through an extensive 2-3 year training period. At the end of team training the handler and assistance dog in Florida must successfully complete the Canine Good Citizen and a public access test. In order to ensure that the team maintains service dog status with us, they must pass a public access test annually to prove the dog’s skills and behavior have not deteriorated. In addition, their response to commands and behavior must meet with the approval of our Training Director. These tests are rigorous for our clients and their service dogs, but they guarantee that our teams are well respected and easily received into their respective handlers’ communities. Genesis encourages our clients to always have their dog wear it’s Genesis vest for identification as the vests do make it less likely for the handler to have any confrontations with the public.
When a Genesis Assistance Dog is released to its partner the I.D. cards received reflect that the dog is a part of the Genesis Assistance Dog, Inc. family; they are not certification that the dog is an assistance dog. They are not something for you to share with the world that certifies the dog is a now an official service dog. It may seem like splitting hairs, but it really isn’t. Why you may ask? The answer lies within the ADA guidelines, and if you live in the state of Florida you can learn everything you need to know about state laws governing assistance dogs by clicking here.
To reiterate, according to the United States Department of Justice there are no requirements for licensing, certification or identification of service dogs and these assistance animals are not required to wear special collars, vests or harnesses. In addition the ADA makes it unlawful to require proof of a disability for the handler or identification for the animal.
If you are considering applying for a service dog through Genesis Assistance Dogs, Inc. or another organization we encourage you to do your research and become familiar with all the facts surrounding the ADA and state regulations where you live. State and local laws regarding licensing of your assistance dog in Florida is a separate issue and you will need to see which laws pertain to your residence. In some jurisdictions licensing fees are waived for service animals.
Please don’t be taken in by companies promising to register your dog as an assistance dog. Save the money you would spend on useless documentation and make a donation back to Genesis Assistance Dogs, Inc., another favorite charity, or splurge on a new toy or treats for your service dog!
