People getting fake certfication to pass their pets off as service dogs

[Liberal_in_LA]

Some pet owners try to skirt rules with fake service dogs
They get look-alike certifications and vests off the Internet

Owners and trainers of service dogs are increasingly angry at pet owners who pass their animals off as service dogs by using phony credentials.

The imposters go to the Internet to buy vests, ID cards and certificates for their dogs. The deception allows their pets to live in restricted housing, accompany them inside restaurants and hotels or fly for free in airplane cabins rather than in cargo holds.

"I don't want to say it's a scam, but it is a scam," said Nick Kutsukos, 72, who runs Elite K9 Academy in Jupiter and has trained service dogs for 40 years.

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"People come up to me all the time and ask, 'Where do I get one of those harnesses to take my dog with me,'" Eames said. "They don't have any clue had two years of training before I was able to take her on a plane with me."

http://www.latimes.com/health/fl-hk-fake-service-dogs-20110405,0,4404679.story?page=2

[Mz Pip]

1. I can certainly understand

the desire to fake it in order to have a pet in an apt but don't think it's a good idea to take a dog that might not be properly trained into an airplane.

I remember a few years ago a large "companion" pig really caused quite a ruckus on an airplane.

[Mojorabbit]

2. Be nice to have more dog friendly places around. nt

[ProgressiveProfessor]

3. This has been an on going issue for some time, and it is not limited to dogs

http://www.sfweekly.com/2009-06-17/news/service-with-a-snarl/

[Liberal_in_LA]

5. omg. Amazing article. Service iguana???

[ProgressiveProfessor]

10. I am sure they are quite sincere...

[dems_rightnow]

4. Why would anyone...

..... service dogs excepted, want to take their dog in a restaurant anyway?

[taterguy]

6. Sometimes it's nice to take a dog on a nice long walk and stop at a restaurant

There's an outdoor place 1.5 miles from my house.

It can be an enjoyable outing for all involved.

[Obamanaut]

7. Several of us on a motorcycle ride stopped at a restaurant with the patio

opening up onto the beach.

It was a pet friendly place, pets were welcome. There were dogs under several tables, a couple of dogs were curled up in chairs next to their people. They were all well behaved, and appeared to be well groomed - freshly brushed look on the long haired ones, most had neckerchiefs, etc.

We all enjoyed the difference (from a regular, non-pet restaurant), and the grouper sandwich was great.

[Bucky]

9. When I was in Germany I saw a lot of people bring their dogs into cafes & restaurants.

Plus if it was raining, the wet-dog smell helped overwhelm the pervasive cigarette smell you find in Europe.

[Bucky]

8. Do the service dogs that go onto airplanes have to go through the same pat down procedure?

I mean, once al-Qaeda launches their "mutt-enema-bomber" plot they will, but I wonder if we couldn't have TSA get ahead of the curve on this one.