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Sorry it's so long but it's training and training is supposed to be long

Since September 2006, I have been training a Black Labrador named Paxil (I chose the name because she makes me happy …) as a Service Dog for myself.    I was a dog trainer before I became a cop so my life has come full circle now that I’ve retired from a painful disability. Paxil is making my life so much easier. She opens doors for me, turns on and off lights, gets things off the lower shelves at the grocery store -  I use a laser to point out what I want, picks up things I drop, helps me undress by tugging off my clothes, fetches the phone when it rings, etc. My favorite is that she takes the clothes out of the dryer and puts them onto the counter for me to fold. She likes that, too, especially climbing all the way in for that last sock...

Many veterans returning from Iraq with physical issues are being paired with "assistance / service" dogs so there’s a good chance that you will encounter a Service Dog in the course of your work. 

The term "Assistance / Service dogs" now includes Guide Dogs for the Blind, Hearing Dogs for the Deaf, Medical Alert dogs who detect physical changes (before disaster strikes) in people who have seizures, diabetes, etc thus giving the people time to get to a safe place or to take the medication that prevents the disasters, Mobility Dogs who help wheelchair bound people, and dogs who help people with other disabilities by assisting with balance, fetching things, etc. 

One of the biggest facilities for training these dogs is in Massachusetts. They use inmates at the State Prison to raise the dogs.  Others are sprouting up all over the country. They charge an arm and a leg (pun intended) for the dogs.  One of my pet peeves (sorry, pun) is that a guide dog for the blind can be obtained for $500 but a Service Dog costs the recipient $15,000 plus.  Guide dogs for the blind are “educated” and make life-and-death decisions for their blind handlers.  Service Dogs are “trained” and merely follow orders. I believe these schools are cashing in on the disabilities suffered by our troops.  End of personal rant… 

Federal Law allows complete access to all public conveyances, accommodations, facilities and privileges at no extra charge for the dog. Many states also allow complete access to dogs in training accompanied by their trainers . There is a list of guidelines published by the Department of Justice for people who are questioning the validity of the dog - some people lie so they can take their pet with them and others use dogs for mental issues like agoraphobia, depression, and anxiety.  Even though their owners call them "Service Dogs," the dogs who help with mental issues are not yet considered legal under the DOJ and ADA standards, but I'm not going to question a veteran with a PTSD service dog...

There is no national certification for any type of assistance dog - no ID, no way to prove that a dog is properly trained.  And there shouldn’t be. My dog is trained for my needs. I shouldn’t have to pay $15,000 for a dog that’s been generically trained for “disabilities.” As long as my dog is not disruptive in public, she cannot be asked to leave a public place. 

However, a dog’s validity can be questioned. A person (in authority or not) may only inquire if the person if disabled and if the dog is trained to mitigate the disability. The rule of thumb is that the dog must perform at least five tasks that mitigate the person’s disability but it need not be proven. 

The dogs are not required to wear any identifying vest (like mine does - hers is blue for the thin blue line and adorned with a tiny set of cuffs but some states require specific colors) but I think anyone who takes an Assistance Dog to a public place without any vest is asking for attention, and trouble. 

WalMart is notorious for refusing to allow service dogs into their stores and for calling (uneducated) police to remove the dogs.  Muslim cab drivers and store owners are in the national news every day for refusing to allow service dogs in their cabs or businesses because Muslims believe dogs are unclean. 

Most of the cops who respond to the calls don't know that their state has a statute dealing with these dogs.  In frustration, they often end up proclaiming the incident as a "civil" matter and threatening to arrest the handicapped person for trespassing.

In Mass, the statutes are MGL Ch272 s98A and Ch129 s39F - the offense is punishable by a fine of not more than $300. 

If you want the statutes for your state, look here - http://www.adionline.org/LegalGuideHandbook/ADI_GUIDE_2005_1stEdB.pdf

This document is dated, so double check your own law books at work…