That is what I got from the ADA document.

Unless there have been recent revisions, a comfort animal is not covered unless it is also an emotional support animal. Tricky and good luck differentiating. A comfort animal does not require a letter or note from a certified professional. It requires no training. An ES animal is trained to sense when it's master is becoming distressed or emotional and reacts accordingly. A CA simply makes the owner feel good and a declaration by the owner is sufficient to get a CA classification.

As to the animal not having to be a dog, blame the courts. It took a lawsuit to change from dog to animal. Not everything is the fault of PCness or even we liberals.

:bigbow::bigbow:
I knew you would have the best take on this.

So, do CAs quality to be on an airplane, in restaurants, etc.??

I agree you don't bring a dog in a restaurant. [seeing eye dogs, the exception]
I also would never buy a used mattress.

But when you think about it, if there is a dog in the house, and that's where you eat, isn't that the same?
And someone pointed out to me a little while ago that when you sleep in a hotel you are sleeping on a used mattress.

In Sonny's on Sunday I was utterly amazed to see a dog in a stroller and owner being shown to a table - I had to do a double take.

I was watching a story on television on one of the nightly news shows about "Comfort Animals". The story was about one person who wished to travel on a plane and bring her dog with her. She didn't want her dog in the cargo hold, so she went on-line and found an organization, that, for a fee, gave her a certificate and a "Comfort Dog" harness so she could have her dog on the plane next to her. She didn't need to provide any documentation, medical or otherwise to prove that she needed a comfort animal. Only requirement was that her check for payment cleared.

Good thing it was a "Comfort Dog" and not a "Comfort Rhinoceros"

Technically, no but I'd be hard pressed to argue with someone about it if I were the manager. It is just too murky of a law and confidentiality makes it difficult. ES animals are to be treated the same as seeing eye dogs.

Also, ES animals do not have to have any special visible identification although most handlers do have vests or collars advising this is a working animal. ES animals are used primarily for persons with autism, vets suffering PTSD, agoraphobics and other mental illnesses where an animal can be of extreme benefit. As was pointed out, a CA requires nothing more than some money to get an online vest and certificate. The sad thing is that those skirting the law are creating extreme hardship for those who truly need these wonderful service animals.

If you cant beat them join them. Buy a bull mastiff, train him to attacking mops, order your online vest and take him to Too Jays for lunch.

Full disclosure: I am joking, I love dogs, despise cats, think little of rude people who have no medical issues and want to take their pets to dinner...would laugh my ass off watching a bull mastiff (Turner and Hooch) destroying the restaurant chasing that rude person's mop dog (schitsonyou).

provided it was trained by qualified personnel to perform a specific service task, those who abuse the rules know they are doing it for selfish reasons. it's on them

From what I gather, an owner of a service or comfort animal doesn't need to prove any disability...there are many "services" on line that will register a dog just for a fee. I know someone who did that so their min pin could fly in the airplane cabin with them. Probably easier than getting a handicap sticker for a vehicle.

It appears the ADA law invites abuse.

And a CA classification is something you can purchase on line with the animal having no special training. If people were not so concerned about the PC police I doubt the courts or the Internet vendors would get away with this. Please don't mistake my comments as being opposed to the appropriate recognition of handicapped status. My wife has MS and uses a 4 wheel walker. And she's tougher than I am - believe me.

Excellent analysis.

A service dog is required to have documentation. It can be a simply worded letter from a certified therapist stating that the animal is needed for emotional support. Anything more detailed would be in violation of the HIPPA laws. Again, a comfort animal is NOT qualified to be an emotional support animal although an emotional support animal may also be a comfort animal. Those who get the online certificates know they are frauds. What they don't understand is the harm they are doing to those who truly need ES animals -- they are being accused of the abuse perpetrated by these frauds and condemned and vilified because of it.

I sincerely wish that public domains would have the gumption to stand on their hind legs and demand to see proof that the dog is more than just something to pet. The ADA laws need to be properly enforced, whether it be handicapped parking, wheelchair access or ES dogs. Scofflaws should face very heavy fines and social ostracization. (Get the feeling I feel very strongly about this?)

Side note to this thread.
Is there a ADA expert on this forum ?
I would like to talk to one.
Not about a dog.