Fake Service Dogs a Menace for Legitimate Owners, Businesses Alike
March 12, 2018 Greg Thomson
Hotels, restaurants, shops across Ontario grappling with ‘epidemic’ of fraudulent service animals By Ashley Burke, CBC News Posted: Mar 09, 2018
Pet owners are turning to the internet to buy fake harnesses, vests and even documents so they can pass off their dogs as service animals.
People who rely on service dogs to help them navigate through life are facing some unwanted competition frauds who dress their pets up as working animals so they can take advantage of some of the special services available to people with disabilities.
Staff at hotels, restaurants and retail stores across Ontario say they’ve witnessed customers with animals usually dogs dressed in what they believe to be fake service animal harnesses or vests.
Unlike properly trained service animals, these dogs sometimes bark, jump at people and cause other disruptions.
‘It makes it more difficult for people who actually legitimately do need service animals.’
“It’s wrong,” said Kyle Rawn of Accessibility Professionals of Ontario.
“It’s almost becoming an epidemic across the province.”
Rawn, who is blind and uses a service dog, said it’s also making life more difficult for people like him who rely on the animals because now everyone with [...]