Most people think that service dogs are only for blind people, that’s why I’m here to set some of the facts straight.

It all Started in 1990 when the first Bush, that’s George H. W. Bush signed the American Disability Act. But according to new regulations the definition of service animals will exclude the use of emotional support animals and also comfort animals. Which is exactly why I am writing this story, I have a service animal and I am not blind or do I have epilepsy. I feel that every person that needs a service animal should have the right to have one. Some of the city’s main argument is that people are just using the system to get there pit bulls and other animals on to buses and trains. The city of San Francisco gave out over 500 service tags to people in the city some of these tags went to animals like snakes, lizards, pit bulls, chickens, pigeons, and yes even rodents. Now I can understand why the ADA would want to change the rules when things like this are happening. What people don’t understand is that those animals are just as important to the people that need them. Some of the other city that have issued service tags are San Diego with 352 tags, Los Angles with 96 service tags issuated the only difference is these city’s do not give tags to the animals that I have listed. Even though federal law does not require service animals to wear vest or any other kind of I.D. Which makes a lot of people wonder how or why? Just today I learned that one woman here in the city of San Francisco uses her dog as an alarm clock. Which allows her to do her day to day task such as go to work. But if the ADA moves forward in what there are tiring to do with the definition of the word service animal this woman would lose her house, and her job just because what her dog does is not tencnaly considered a service. This is why I am so passionate about service dogs I have one and her job is helping me which my day to day activates and helps me stay foced to my work. It took a lot of work and days not only to train my dog but also to get my service tags. The first step to getting my tags was getting my dog licensed in this city which only cost $35.00 and that gets you your dog there shots and licenses. Then I had to go to the H.A.Y.O.T which is a drop-in here in this city it is located in the Haight district on Haight and Cole. What I had to do was talk to there doctor or therapist or whatever it is they call it. I had to go in three times and talk with this person they sat me down and talked to me about why I felt I need my dog as a service animal. Then they brought in a different dog to see how my dog reacted towards the dog. Then we went on the bus and the train to see if my dog would sit under the seat and to see how it acted thowds people and open spaces and what it did thowds the train needless to say the whole thing was a long process. so now you kind of understand what it would take not only to get a service dog but also what a service dogs mean. If you are still wondering what a service dog means here is the definition of service dog. A service dog is a type of assistance dog, specifically trained to help people who have disabilities other than visual or hearing impairment. Desirable character traits include good temperament or psychological make-up, good health including physical structure, biddability and trainability. Service dogs are sometimes trained and bred by service dog organizations. Some dogs are donated by private breeders, and some are selected from shelters. Any breed or mixture of breeds of dog might produce a representative capable of service work, though few dogs have all of the qualities in health, temperament, biddability, trainability and physical ability needed. Such a dog may be called a "service dog" or an "assistance dog," depending largely on country. Other common names include "helper dog," "aide dog," and "support dog."
In the United States, the Codes of Federal Regulation for the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 define a service animal as "any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair [sic], or fetching dropped items." This comes from the dictionary so maybe now u see really what a service dog really does thank you for your time and thank you for reading my story and remember the next time you see a dog on the bus or train or in your favorite store rembwer what that person went through to get it and what it might meant for them do. Once again thank you.