ID and Registration

Many Service Dog handlers can attest to the fact that you’ve been asked for some sort of “ID” or “registration” for their Service Dog. But surprisingly, there is no ID or registration for a Service Dog, which makes it so easy to fake a Service Dog.

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), businesses can only ask us TWO questions. 1.) Is this a service dog? 2.) What tasks does this dog perform?

They cannot ask what your disability is because that’s none of their business. Although some argue that there should be a federally recognized ID, this would make obtaining a Service Dog less accessible. When you think of the health bill disabled people pay compared to the average person and add on an EXPENSIVE dog, the bill just keeps adding up.

So if there is no ID, how can you tell it’s a real Service Dog? People who don’t have a real SD tend to say something stupid to the 2nd question (mentioned previously) such as “Emotional Support” (which doesn’t have public access rights and it’s not considered a task). Businesses can also ask a dog to leave, even if it’s an SD if it is causing a disruption to the public and acting aggressively.

How I handler businesses who don’t understand my rights, is I hand them a card that explains it so that I don’t have to use up my spoons because of the lack of education.

I encourage you to reach out if you have questions regarding this and check out the link at the bottom of the page labeled “ADA” to learn more about how the ADA protects Service Dog handlers and disabled individuals in general.