Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


Recently someone found my blog by typing in this question.  It is a good question and there is an almost clear-cut answer.  Almost.

Your fully trained service dog can go with you to:

  • Dental and Doctor appointments
  • Government buildings
  • Stores of any type
  • On planes, remember to look up the rules of the place you are flying to and the airlines rules.  I’ve never flown with my dog, so except for advising you to check with the ADA and the Airline(s) you will be flying on.
  • On cruises, believe it or not.  However your dog will have to go potty in a designated area that will most likely be the equivalent of Astroturf.  My dog has been taught that real grass is the only place relieving himself is allowed, and thus this wasn’t really acceptable for me.
  • Into a courtroom, when I had to go to a brief hearing over my disability benefits, Copper accompanied me
  • And everywhere else I have ever gone.

Your dog can not go:

  • Into a church or church school without permission.  When I questioned this I was informed it was the separation of Church and State.  I was also told “What church wouldn’t welcome a person with a disability into worship”  when I called around (we had just moved to Michigan a while back and wanted to change churches) a couple of churches did in fact tell me no, but the majority encouraged our attendance and one even asked me to give a short talk in the bible study group about service dogs.
  • If you are underage I have read cases where schoolchildren have been unable to be accompanied by their dogs.  This isn’t to say they can’t, however in the case I read the boy was not allowed.  Check with your school, the school district, and the ADA.

These are the only two instances I can remember when a fully trained service dog was not allowed inside. If there are others that anyone can remember, please feel free to comment.

To answer the next question that will come up, Service dogs in training are not given the same freedoms.  Check your state laws to see what your state allows.  Since I live close to a service dog training school that isn’t entirely true here.  The people are used to seeing trainers and new service dog users everywhere with their partners.

If you don’t know how to look up these laws the ADA people may be able to help you, or if you leave a comment, as long as I have the time to do so, I will try to help you research it myself to the best of my ability.