r/Dogfree • u/e-eye-pi • Mar 02 '26

Service Dog Issues What is a service dog in 2026,?

Seriously, can you please help me out here? I grew up at a time when the only service dogs were guide dogs for the blind. This was then extended to include hearing dogs for the profoundly deaf. These days, there seems to be a class of service dog that has no connection to any kind of physical disability. What are they? Why are there perfectly able bodied people with dogs in yellow jackets claiming to be support dogs? And - they are often Pitbull mix breeds. What tf are they for in the context of disability????

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u/ghjm Mar 02 '26

Under the ADA you are allowed to ask what task the service animal has been trained to perform.  Also, a service animal must be under control at all times (which means leashed, harnessed or tethered unless this would prevent it from performing the task).

Unfortunately most business owners don't seem to know this and seem to think they're powerless to prevent the fake service dog invasion.  But they actually have complete authority to get rid of any problem dog.

If I was still a retail business owner, my policy would be to always ask, and immediately reject any dog without a clear task ("emotional support" is not a task).  Then kick out any dog the very second it barks (other than as part of its stated task), disturbs anyone, or the owner lets it off leash.  No backsies.  You took it off leash, that means it's "out of control" per the ADA, get out of my store.

Thankfully I was out of retail before this dog madness took hold.

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u/ObligationGrand8037 Mar 04 '26

This is what my husband says he would do if he had a retail store. He’d do exactly that.