CHEYENNE – Misrepresenting a pet as a service animal would be a crime under House Bill 114, sponsored by Rep. Landon Brown, R-Cheyenne.
The bill passed the Senate Travel Committee unanimously Thursday. It has already passed the House.
The issue stems from people claiming their animal is a service animal in order to bring a pet into a place like a restaurant, store or rental property that doesn’t allow pets.
That situation can delegitimize actual service dogs and endanger the people the dogs assist, proponents said.
“For someone to bring a pet dog into a place is a slap in the face to someone who has worked hours and hours to make sure their dog is trained,” said Michelle Woerner, the CEO of K-9s 4 Mobility.
Woerner said in one case, a client who uses a dog for balance took the dog to a grocery store. Another person’s pet dog ran up and startled the service dog, causing the client to fall.
“Luckily, she was not injured,” Woerner said. “It took us many weeks … to retrain that dog. This person almost lost her independence because someone had to bring their pet dog in there.”
Jill Jensen, who uses a wheelchair and has had a service dog since 2001, has limited use of her hands and legs. She pointed to the distinction between service dogs and pets.
“This bill is very important to me … evidently a lot of businesses are allowing pets in, other dogs, where the person is stating their dog is a service dog,” she said. “It’s very disruptive.”
Businesses have also been concerned about being forced to accommodate animals that aren’t actually service dogs.
“The word has gotten out that if you present your dog as a service dog, there’s not much recourse,” said Barbara Stafford of the Wyoming Restaurant and Lodging Association.
And it’s not limited to just dogs, either.
Julie Gliem of the Cheyenne Landlords Association said people have brought various species of animals into rental units under the guise of “service animal.”
“We have problems with these ‘service animals’ every week,” she said.
Gliem also mentioned the ease of obtaining documentation for service animals.
In one case in Cheyenne this week, she said, a tenant wanted to bring an animal to a property and showed a prescription from a New Jersey doctor. Upon investigation by the landlord, however, it was found the doctor had died two years ago.
In other cases, people simply obtain a cheap certificate from a certificate mill online.
“For 20 bucks, your little Fluffy can now be your service animal,” she said.
Support animal handlers and owners said one can often get an indication that an animal is actually a service animal by its behavior. They also said people who use legitimate service animals have no problem being able to quickly state what the animal is for and the task it performs.
Under the bill, those who misrepresent their animal as a service animal would be guilty of a misdemeanor and could be fined up to $750.
Other states have enacted similar laws.
The bill passed the Senate Travel Committee unanimously Thursday. It has already passed the House.
The issue stems from people claiming their animal is a service animal in order to bring a pet into a place like a restaurant, store or rental property that doesn’t allow pets.
That situation can delegitimize actual service dogs and endanger the people the dogs assist, proponents said.
“For someone to bring a pet dog into a place is a slap in the face to someone who has worked hours and hours to make sure their dog is trained,” said Michelle Woerner, the CEO of K-9s 4 Mobility.
Woerner said in one case, a client who uses a dog for balance took the dog to a grocery store. Another person’s pet dog ran up and startled the service dog, causing the client to fall.
“Luckily, she was not injured,” Woerner said. “It took us many weeks … to retrain that dog. This person almost lost her independence because someone had to bring their pet dog in there.”
Jill Jensen, who uses a wheelchair and has had a service dog since 2001, has limited use of her hands and legs. She pointed to the distinction between service dogs and pets.
“This bill is very important to me … evidently a lot of businesses are allowing pets in, other dogs, where the person is stating their dog is a service dog,” she said. “It’s very disruptive.”
Businesses have also been concerned about being forced to accommodate animals that aren’t actually service dogs.
“The word has gotten out that if you present your dog as a service dog, there’s not much recourse,” said Barbara Stafford of the Wyoming Restaurant and Lodging Association.
And it’s not limited to just dogs, either.
Julie Gliem of the Cheyenne Landlords Association said people have brought various species of animals into rental units under the guise of “service animal.”
“We have problems with these ‘service animals’ every week,” she said.
Gliem also mentioned the ease of obtaining documentation for service animals.
In one case in Cheyenne this week, she said, a tenant wanted to bring an animal to a property and showed a prescription from a New Jersey doctor. Upon investigation by the landlord, however, it was found the doctor had died two years ago.
In other cases, people simply obtain a cheap certificate from a certificate mill online.
“For 20 bucks, your little Fluffy can now be your service animal,” she said.
Support animal handlers and owners said one can often get an indication that an animal is actually a service animal by its behavior. They also said people who use legitimate service animals have no problem being able to quickly state what the animal is for and the task it performs.
Under the bill, those who misrepresent their animal as a service animal would be guilty of a misdemeanor and could be fined up to $750.
Other states have enacted similar laws.