At Fitdog, we believe that daily activities and socialization helps your dog become the best they can be. We offer three unique programs to help you the most of your dog’s time, when your not there.
fitdog home
  • Asset 4 fitdog club
    • Services
    • Pricing
    • Assessment
    • Login
  • Asset 5 fitdog sports
    • Classes
    • Leaders
    • Sign Up
    • Login
  • Asset 3 fitdog training
    • Programs
    • Trainers
    • Get started
About
Blog: Off the Leash
Questions? Let’s Talk!
contact@fitdog.com (310) 828 - 3647
Follow us on Social Media:
Login to Club
Login to Sports
  • Club
  • Sports
  • Training
  • About
  • Blog
(310) 828 - 3647

Why You Should Never Fake Having a Service Dog

US airlines are tightening their pet policies. Here's why they're right to do so.

Collapse
More from

Off The Leash:

Dog Parks: Harmful or Helpful?
December 12, 2022
Your Complete Guide to The Most Dog-Friendly National Parks
July 01, 2022
The Best Dog-Friendly Airlines and Their Pet Policies
June 09, 2022
How to stop your dog from digging
May 17, 2022
Five tips to follow when bringing a new pet home
November 04, 2021
Beginner’s Guide to Lure Coursing
November 03, 2021
Deadly Disease: Why Lepto Should be a Core Vaccine
July 21, 2021
Guide to Common Dog Diseases & Parasites
July 26, 2021
The 7 Best Podcasts for Dog Lovers
May 27, 2021
Avoid These Grooming Mistakes With Your Doodle
April 17, 2021
5 Benefits of Teaching Your Dog How to Swim
April 09, 2021
5 tips to re-socializing your dog after the pandemic
February 26, 2021
5 Animal Non-Profits to Donate to This Holiday Season
December 18, 2020
7 Dog-Friendly Thanksgiving Foods
November 26, 2020
10 Best Dog Photography Tips
October 27, 2020
Importance of Developmental Based Dog Training
October 21, 2020
Complete guide to treating dog allergies
September 15, 2020
Overweight Dogs: COVID-19 Made My Dog Fat!
August 19, 2020
Best Pet Tech Products 2020
August 15, 2020
Best Backyard Activities for your Dog
July 30, 2020
Foxtails in dogs: A hidden danger on your hiking trail
July 23, 2020
7 Tips to Teach Your Dog How to Swim
July 15, 2020
How to modify your home for an elderly pet
July 09, 2020
Frozen Dog Treats for Summer: 4 Pupsicle Recipes to Treat your Dog
July 03, 2020
Dog scared of fireworks? Prepare your dog for 4th of July fireworks before …
June 26, 2022
Stop your puppy from biting with stuffables
June 17, 2020
Socializing Your Dog After COVID-19
June 14, 2020
Dog-Friendly Camping: 8 Pet Friendly Campgrounds in California
June 09, 2020
7 Best Easy DIY Dog Treat Recipes
May 26, 2020
Train and Play Philosophy
May 18, 2020
Puppy Socialization: Why your dog needs it
January 25, 2021
Angela Brittain
Angela Brittain
January 23, 2020

You either know someone who has faked having an emotional support animal, therapy, or service dog or you’ve probably heard stories. For instance, the girl who was attacked by a fake ESA or the poop incident that caused an emergency plane landing.

The US Department of Transportation recently proposed new rules that would limit which service animals qualify to fly onboard with their owners. This is a major step in the right direction for animal advocacy and people with disabilities who legitimately rely on their animals to assist with everyday tasks. The policy proposal has grabbed the attention of major outlets including the New York Times and PBS, among others.

Our opinion: it’s never a good idea to pretend your animal is qualified for something they are not. Here’s why you should never fake having a service dog. 

What is a ‘Service’ Dog?

When it comes to animals who help humans with their day-to-day lives, most fall under the umbrella of service animals. There are also therapy dogs and emotional support animals, which do not have the same rights as service dogs. The three delineations are: 

  • Service Dogs | A service dog is any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. (NSARCO) 
  • Therapy Dogs | Therapy dogs are specially trained to provide affection and comfort to people in nursing homes, disaster areas, schools, hospitals, retirement homes, and for people with autism. Therapy dogs have no protected rights. 
  • Emotional Support Animals | AKA “ESAs”, these dogs help owners who suffer from a mental or emotional disability. Registering your pet as an Emotional Support Animal is extremely easy, and nearly all domestic pets qualify. 

Why You Should Never Fake Having a Service Dog | Fitdog Los Angeles Dog Hiking, Training, Daycare and Sports

Why pretend? 

Service Dogs by far have the most privilege of all the certifications. These dogs get access to most public places, surpass landlord rules, and most importantly, they can fly in the main cabin of planes. The only other type of dog certification generally allowed on airplanes, up until now, has been Emotional Support Animals.

Meanwhile, unless your pet can fit beneath your feet, they’ll probably be flying cargo. 

Transporting your dog as a “checked pet” (in other words, flying cargo) can be a traumatizing experience for sure. Getting doggo registered as an ESA is an easy and fairly inexpensive process. While there are legitimate uses for this certification, the truth is, many people abuse it for their own benefit. 

Who you’re hurting 

When you fake a service dog, you’re diminishing the social value of the certification. Pretending your dog is a service dog is also an insult to the dogs who actually go through the training process which can be as long as two years. Service dogs provide a real need required by thousands of civilians, and faking the certification makes it less available to those who need it. 

What you can do

Dogs are sweet and loving by nature. However, they are not necessarily prepared to react if things go awry the way trained service dogs are. Rather than faking your dog’s certification, you can seek out a real service dog training program and get your dog certified. Dogs love “working” and are quick learners with the right guidance. You might just be surprised at what your dog is actually capable of learning, and there will be nothing phony about it. 

If you’re concerned about traveling with your dog, another option to consider is boarding them. You can have your vacation, and your dog can have their own. If you’re considering bringing your dog along on your next big trip, you’ll definitely want to make sure you’ve weighed all your options. 

When our dogs can do their jobs confidently with respected certifications, we all win. Please use these certification programs responsibly, for the sake of dogs and humans everywhere. 

Fitdog Los Angeles Dog Training Daycare Hiking + Sports

Categories:
  • Safety
  • Training
  • Travel
  • Trends
What’s next?
An Interview With Fitdog’s Co-Founder

Since Fitdog's conception, it has been the company's goal to offer easily accessible sports activities for all dogs. In October 2018, we launch an online platform that allows owners to conveniently book sports-based training, classes, and excursions for...

read more
More from Off The Leash:
Dog Parks: Harmful or Helpful?
December 12, 2022
Your Complete Guide to The Most Dog-Friendly National Parks
July 01, 2022
The Best Dog-Friendly Airlines and Their Pet Policies
June 09, 2022
More Fitdog
Fitdog Home
FAQ
Contact
Fitdog Club
  • Services
  • Pricing
  • Join the Club
Fitdog Sports
  • Classes
  • Leaders
  • Sign Up
Fitdog Training
  • Programs
  • Trainers
  • Get Started
Blog
  • Off The Leash
  • Resources
  • About
  • Become a Trainer
  • Employment Opportunities
contact@fitdog.com
(310) 828 - 3647
1712 21st Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404
Privacy Policy Terms and Conditions
© 2018 Fitdog. All Rights Reserved.
Designed and Developed by