Bark Magazine Covers Service Dog Fraud

Service Vest Controversy

EBay listing causes anger

Karen B. London, PhD | August 9, 2011

A listing on eBay for a vest similar to this one ignited a controversy.

No matter what you want to buy, eBay probably has it. Looking for an 1897 Pocket Kodak camera? What about a gold-plated mango fork? Or perhaps you seek a service dog vest about which the seller says, “Use this for your good puppy and take her shopping with you. May have to play blind or stupid, but you love your puppy.”
This listing, which is no longer up, angered many people. Those with disabilities or whose family members have disablities are offended by the suggestion that people should dishonestly claim that their pets are service dogs, when they are not specifically trained in that way. They are concerned about the harm this causes to people with disabilities. The legitimacy of all service animals comes into question when people try to pass off their dogs as service animals. Read More

Unethical or Responsible Pet Care?

Playing service dog to travel first class.

JoAnna Lou | October 29, 2009

The legitimacy and training of service dogs has come up a lot recently, and many of the cases do not have clear solutions. But what about when someone is consciously taking advantage of the privileges granted to service dogs?
With the USDAA Cynosport World Games coming up in Scottsdale, Ariz., I’ve been talking to many of the local competitors about how they’re traveling with their dogs. Some are caravanning in their RVs and others are reluctantly putting their pups in cargo. 
One of the more seasoned competitors mentioned that while she dutifully puts her dogs in cargo, she always sees fellow competitors passing their pups off as service dogs on the plane. Read More

Happy International Assistance Dog Week!

Happy International Assistance Dog Week! All this week events  are taking place globally to celebrate the work assistance/service dogs and educate people about what a service dog does. The Willamette Valley Assistance Dog Club is celebrating with a Facebook post-a-thon and community information tables.

News: Unleashed Dogs Hassle Service Dog

Summertime on the Idaho State University campus is very relaxing.

But many people who are relaxing with their animals on campus and see a service dog don't realize that they are stopping that dog from doing its job.

Mike Riley and his service dog, Annie, are on campus from seven in the morning to nine at night almost every day, researching thousands of pages as Mike works to get his PhD in Political Science. He frequently travels between buildings. Recently, this has become a very stressful journey.

"This is all she knows. And to have your pets come and interfere with that working relationship is unhelpful." – Mike Riley, Political Science Doctoral Student Read More

News: Guide Dogs Encounter Blind Spot

China Daily
There are 13 million blind people in China, but only 34 guide dogs. China Daily has a report today on how difficult it is for these guide dogs to do their job in China. The article mostly talks about a woman in Beijing named Chen Yan who has been barred six times from taking her dog on the subway near her house. She's also been shooed away from restaurants, airplanes, and restaurants, - even McDonalds. Apparently this is quite a common issue.
The problem is that guide dogs are so new in China that a lot of businesses and services just don't know how to deal with them.
China's Protection Law for Disabled Persons does say that dogs can work in public places �C as long as they abide by local regulations. And that little "local" stipulation means that lots of places CAN refuse entry to guide dogs.
There are some places where they can't. Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Zhejiang province all have regulations that say guide dogs must be allowed into any workplace, museum, cinema, hospital or other public facility. Read More

News: Banned breeds are no more aggressive than others, new study finds

Every study completed to date has found breed specific legislation to be completely ineffective in reducing the incidence of dog bites.   Now a study of pet dogs in Spain published in The Journal of Veterinary Behavior, offers new insight into why.   The study found that the so called dangerous breeds simply behave no differently from dogs in general when it comes to behaviors likely to lead to biting. Read More