So often people certify their service dog only to learn that they need a doctor’s note.  To get a doctor’s letter for your service dog, you need to see a doctor This might seem obvious, but many people look online when in reality, you need to speak to a licensed medical professional, including a PCP, therapist, or even a social worker. This professional must have a relationship with you, meaning they’ve seen you for treatment or an assessment within the past year. This letter is to attest to the fact that you have been prescribed a Service Animal to support you with a disability. It is no ..read more

Perhaps you want to get your dog certified as an emotional support animal and your landlord asks for a letter. Here is what you need to know.  Under the Fair Housing Act, individuals with a disability are protected and entitled to reasonable accommodation. Landlords may however request proof that your dog is certified or a letter from a healthcare professional. If you need to provide a letter, you can start with one from yourself and see if that is enough to satisfy a landlord. The Fair Housing Act provides a template as follows;  — [NAME OF BUILDING MANAGER] [ADDRESS] Re:  ..read more

There are a lot of questions about fake service dogs, fake certificates, and fake registrations. Even in our chat, people ask if US Service Dog Certification “is legit”. We hope you will take the time to read this before you certify your service dog.  There is no official certification that makes your dog a service dog Our goal is to keep things 100% transparent, and help people with disabilities navigate the landscape. We want to make it clear to all that there is no centralized service dog registry in the United States.  Confused? That’s because businesses and landlords have been a ..read more

You might have heard that ESA dogs are banned on planes. Well, that’s clickbait, sort of.  You can still take your ESA dog on a plane, but they will be treated as a pet and will not receive any special treatment.   Wall Street Journal reported an update mid-February that the change will cost travelers with pets up to $60 million a year combined.  Most airlines will allow you to travel with a pet as long as it fits under the seat in front of you, but you’ll have to pay for the pet to come with you, over $100 each way.   This is because too many peopl ..read more

Most people don’t think about an ESA or Service Dog certification until the same day they need it. If your dog provides you with emotional support or you’ve trained them to perform a task that helps you with a disability, you can register them as a Service Dog or Emotional Support Animal. Certifications are not necessary or required by the ADA but sometimes you’ll be asked to provide a service dog certification or ESA certification. Often times this will be from a hotel, airline, landlord or leasing company.   Because of an increase in fraudulent cases, businesses are looki ..read more

There’s a lot of heated conversation over the increased popularity of Emotional Support animals and people improperly claiming their dog as a Service Animal. When people present their dog as a Service Animal but they don’t behave like a specially trained Service Animal, people with legitimate disabilities suffer the consequences. People with psychiatric disabilities, which tend to be invisible disabilities, are likely to face increased conflict due to fake Service Animals. Because of misuse, business owners and landlords have become skeptical of dogs supporting their handlers with psychiatric ..read more

These days, it’s more and more common to hear about people making their pet an Emotional Support Animal or Service Dog. Let’s get one thing right, a Service Dog is any dog that performs a task that helps their handler with a disability. An Emotional Support Dog provides general comfort and support. To be considered a Service Dog, your dog must be trained to perform a task that specifically helps you cope with your disability. You have every right to train your dog independently or seek professional assistance. Emotional Support Dog Rides TrainAn Emotional Support Animal is different. Emotional ..read more

For many Millennials today, a dog is more than a best friend. Today, your dog is probably treated more like your child than your pet. They join you at cafés, on dates, and even keep you company at your office. They play a crucial role in the family as your sweet, lovable, dependent. Can a dog ever be just a dog? We don’t think so. Here are 5 indisputable signs that your dog is actually your child. One: You take your dog for Ice Cream Couple sharing an ice-cream date with their Husky. They joy of getting ice cream on hot day is really about sharing it with the “people” you love. If your dog can ..read more

With so much stigma facing pit bulls these days, a question many people are asking is: “can my pit bull be a service dog”? While the answer should be simple, there are a number of factors that come into play. What’s a pit bull anyway? Pit bulls carry a bad reputation, but the truth is, they are highly misunderstood. With approximately 18 million pit bulls in the US, making up 20% of all dogs, it’s important to understand the facts. First off, ‘pit bull’ isn’t even a breed, it’s a catch all name that includes the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bulldog, and S ..read more