Any pet owner knows how important an animal can be to your life. For some people who can’t or choose not to have children, a pet can help fill the need that we all have for taking care of another living being.
Because so many dog owners have a strong bond with their pets, many choose not to go on trips or take vacations because they can’t bear to leave their dogs in someone else’s care. And while there are great services such as DogWalk or Rover that let you list reviews and check dog sitter backgrounds, nothing feels as good as having your dog with you.
However, there is a solution. You might be able to register your dog under the Americans with Disabilities Act or ADA. This legislation protects helps prevent discrimination of people with service dogs. This protection extends to renting apartments, eating out with your dog in restaurants, flying or taking the bus, and so on. If you want to find out more about how to register your animal as a service dog, read on.
Train Your Dog to Be a Service Animal
Any dog that is registered as a service dog needs to follow some basic commands. Namely, to lie down, stay, sit, and “watch” its owners or keep eye contact. [1] Likewise, a potential service dog should not have any obedience issues. If that’s the case for you, hiring a professional could be your best approach. Moreover, bad habits do not make great service dogs, so if your dog likes to jump on furniture, beg for food, or bark randomly, it should be trained to stop doing these things. In any case, you should start with small steps, be thorough, and remember that service dogs are task-oriented.
Register and Certify Your Service Dog
Once your dog has been trained and can follow commands, you can register your pet with ServiceDogCertifications.org which will give you the necessary documentation to prove that you indeed have a service dog. You will also receive an ID and vest for your service dog so that everyone realizes they cannot deny you entry or service under the law.
You Have the Right to Live with Your Service Dog
Federal law [2] states that service dogs and their owners are protected and landlords cannot deny them housing even if the housing in questions doesn’t otherwise allow pets. It doesn’t matter whether there are HOA rules that restrict certain breeds or have weight and size restrictions.
You Can Travel with Your Service Dog
Another right for owners of service dogs is to travel with their registered pets. This includes flying, but you will have to provide your dog’s certification and other related documentation, besides an ID, and a vest if one was issued. We suggest that you always inform the company you’re traveling with in advance because airlines often have special seating for service dogs and their owners and specific regulations that you might need to follow.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are only a few simple steps you need to take in order to register your dog as a service dog, but the benefits are numerous. You can do so right now and online through a number of different websites.
[2] https://usaservicedogregistration.com/housing-laws-service-emotional-support-animals/