Fake service dogs
I just read this, and in my opinion it's about time.
A bill has been filed in the Massachusetts State House that would ban passing off a pet dog as a service dog. The bill would make it a civil infraction to knowingly misrepresent a dog as a service dog or service dog in training "for the purpose of obtaining any rights or privileges afforded to a person with a disability requiring the assistance of a trained service dog."
Violators would be subject to a fine of up to $500, 30 hours of community service at an organization servicing people with disabilities, or both, for a first offense. The penalty would increase for subsequent offenses.
As a dog owner myself, who has a brother who is legally blind and requires the assistance of a highly trained service dog, I think this is a great idea. And as a homeowner in the Villages, I hope this type of bill is also introduced in Florida where I see an unusually high amount of fake service dogs.
|