Watch CBS News

No Legal Oversight Of 'Therapy' Dogs

By Amy E. Feldman

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Just hearing the phrase "emotional support" makes most men groan. Business owners too.

A New York City restauranteur bragged recently to The New York Post that when he got sick of tying up his beloved teacup Yorkie when he went into stores, he bought a patch that said therapy dog and voila! The dog got entrance.

Yes, restauranteur. Yes, teacup Yorkie. Feel free to insert your own jokes.

The idea of a support dog is no joke - the Americans With Disabilities Act allows service animals to enter places where pets are not normally allowed like a restaurant. In general, to be considered a service animal, a doctor must have certified that a patient is keeping the pet for health reasons and a trainer may be required to certify that the animal can perform certain tasks.

The problem is in enforcement - there's no central agency a business owner can check to see if the tag is genuinely from the health department or agency in your state that provides them or a fake bought on the internet. So, if you own a business and are suspicious, you can ask for papers from the certifying agency.

Or, rather than risk embarrassing a patron you can just figure that anyone who says he needs a teacup Yorkie for support, probably does need emotional support.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.