We’ve seen a growing crop of scammy organizations that offer “Service Dog Certification.” If you have legitimate need for a service dog, do it the right way.
A service dog is a canine that has been trained to offer some kind of assistance. Service dogs can be useful for people with physical disabilities, hearing impairments, seizure disorders, mental illness, and a wide variety of other conditions. Unfortunately, there are dog owners who want to have their dog certified in order to bring their pooch into a restaurant… and there are plenty of shady organization that are happy to help them (for a fee, of course). It’s these people who are ruining a vital service for the ones who need it most.
If you are thinking about getting a service dog for yourself or a loved one, be sure to take the time to select a reputable service dog training program or organization.
Related:Why Isn’t Service Dog Fraud Against The Law?
Tips for Finding a Service Dog
When it comes to finding a service dog or a reputable certification program, the choice can be difficult; there are so many different training programs out there. Unfortunately, there are also many fraudulent programs out there so you need to be careful about making your choice. These tips will get you started down the right path:
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If you have never worked with a service dog program before, there are certain things that might seem like red flags when they are actually standard procedure. For example, a good service dog training program will have a deep understanding of their dogs and they will not give you much choice regarding which dog you are paired with. If they conduct a thorough examination of your needs they will know which dog is the right choice. It is also standard procedure for dogs in service training programs to be kept in a family environment during training rather than in a kennel. The dogs should be fond of their trainers and appear to be happy and healthy.
The key to making sure that you find a service dog or a service dog trainer from a reputable organization is to take your time and do your research. Learn everything you can about the organization before you make a commitment and be sure to visit the facilities in person to be assured of its legitimacy.
