Since a pitbull attacked a child in an airport recently in my state, and the airline said the person presented a letter that was not verified as their proof of the animal being a "service animal", I am terrified of these dogs.  I encountered a pitbull in a grocery store several months ago, and the owner knew he was not supposed to have the dog in the store.  However, since there was no checker or security around,  he took advantage of the opportunity to let his pitbull accompany him on his shopping expedition.  To say that these stores, hotels and other avenues have their hands tied is ridiculous.  This dog was clearly not a service dog, and the owner knew it.  In the case of the pitbull and the child, the parent is suing for a million dollars to fix her daughter's now severely deformed face.  I think that these service animals should have a standardized system of authorization in every state and there should be a card and license issued for each dog, so that they can be tracked and monitored.  No one should be allowed to have a pet in these public spaces unless their dog has been licensed as a service dog and their owners must present evidence of this.  Otherwise, these pets do not belong in these public places where allergens and germs can affect the safety of the public, not to mention vicious dogs and dangerous breeds such as pitbulls.  Otherwise, all of these breeds should be banned permanently from any public space like an airport where there are children.  Anyone can print up a letter and say it is from their vet.  Anyone can say their dog is a service dog.  There is no standard license and no asking for proof that is a license showing these pets have actually been trained as service pets.  I am sick of my health and safety as well as the safety of other children and adults being bypassed to pacify whoever made these laws allowing this.  I have allergies and asthma, and a fear of dogs that attack people.  Why should I and others have to be exposed to this?

Saphiregirl posted:

Since a pitbull attacked a child in an airport recently in my state, and the airline said the person presented a letter that was not verified as their proof of the animal being a "service animal", I am terrified of these dogs.  I encountered a pitbull in a grocery store several months ago, and the owner knew he was not supposed to have the dog in the store.  However, since there was no checker or security around,  he took advantage of the opportunity to let his pitbull accompany him on his shopping expedition.  To say that these stores, hotels and other avenues have their hands tied is ridiculous.  This dog was clearly not a service dog, and the owner knew it.  In the case of the pitbull and the child, the parent is suing for a million dollars to fix her daughter's now severely deformed face.  I think that these service animals should have a standardized system of authorization in every state and there should be a card and license issued for each dog, so that they can be tracked and monitored.  No one should be allowed to have a pet in these public spaces unless their dog has been licensed as a service dog and their owners must present evidence of this.  Otherwise, these pets do not belong in these public places where allergens and germs can affect the safety of the public, not to mention vicious dogs and dangerous breeds such as pitbulls.  Otherwise, all of these breeds should be banned permanently from any public space like an airport where there are children.  Anyone can print up a letter and say it is from their vet.  Anyone can say their dog is a service dog.  There is no standard license and no asking for proof that is a license showing these pets have actually been trained as service pets.  I am sick of my health and safety as well as the safety of other children and adults being bypassed to pacify whoever made these laws allowing this.  I have allergies and asthma, and a fear of dogs that attack people.  Why should I and others have to be exposed to this?

I share your frustration. I have been asking the federal government to strengthening the ADA so that there is some oversight. When it was enacted years ago, there were fewer conditions which used service dogs. The number of conditions covered has grown dramatically and the abuse of the law has spiraled out of control. There is no scientific evidence that some of these conditions are helped by service dogs, and there is no regulation of organizations which claim to train service dogs to work with those medical conditions.  And the double standard is that animal allergies are disabilities under the law but government officials don't want to accommodate people with animal allergies because they don't want to place any restrictions whatsoever on people with service animals. Until there are changes to the ADA to help those with animal allergies, the state governments and businesses will say their hands are tied. I am looking for support from anyone who wants to make Congress hear our voices.

MG posted:

Saphiregirl posted:

Since a pitbull attacked a child in an airport recently in my state, and the airline said the person presented a letter that was not verified as their proof of the animal being a "service animal", I am terrified of these dogs.  I encountered a pitbull in a grocery store several months ago, and the owner knew he was not supposed to have the dog in the store.  However, since there was no checker or security around,  he took advantage of the opportunity to let his pitbull accompany him on his shopping expedition.  To say that these stores, hotels and other avenues have their hands tied is ridiculous.  This dog was clearly not a service dog, and the owner knew it.  In the case of the pitbull and the child, the parent is suing for a million dollars to fix her daughter's now severely deformed face.  I think that these service animals should have a standardized system of authorization in every state and there should be a card and license issued for each dog, so that they can be tracked and monitored.  No one should be allowed to have a pet in these public spaces unless their dog has been licensed as a service dog and their owners must present evidence of this.  Otherwise, these pets do not belong in these public places where allergens and germs can affect the safety of the public, not to mention vicious dogs and dangerous breeds such as pitbulls.  Otherwise, all of these breeds should be banned permanently from any public space like an airport where there are children.  Anyone can print up a letter and say it is from their vet.  Anyone can say their dog is a service dog.  There is no standard license and no asking for proof that is a license showing these pets have actually been trained as service pets.  I am sick of my health and safety as well as the safety of other children and adults being bypassed to pacify whoever made these laws allowing this.  I have allergies and asthma, and a fear of dogs that attack people.  Why should I and others have to be exposed to this?

I share your frustration. I have been asking the federal government to strengthening the ADA so that there is some oversight. When it was enacted years ago, there were fewer conditions which used service dogs. The number of conditions covered has grown dramatically and the abuse of the law has spiraled out of control. There is no scientific evidence that some of these conditions are helped by service dogs, and there is no regulation of organizations which claim to train service dogs to work with those medical conditions.  And the double standard is that animal allergies are disabilities under the law but government officials don't want to accommodate people with animal allergies because they don't want to place any restrictions whatsoever on people with service animals. Until there are changes to the ADA to help those with animal allergies, the state governments and businesses will say their hands are tied. I am looking for support from anyone who wants to make Congress hear our voices.

The problem is that AAFA is not aggressively fighting this problem of pet dogs and emotional support pets in public buildings without let up. They need to make this a prominent focal point of allergy and asthma prevention. This is perhaps the primary health risk to people with dander-sensitive asthma and allergies, yet it is virtually ignored publicly by AAFA and other so-called health support programs!

LAC posted:

MG posted:

Saphiregirl posted:

Since a pitbull attacked a child in an airport recently in my state, and the airline said the person presented a letter that was not verified as their proof of the animal being a "service animal", I am terrified of these dogs.  I encountered a pitbull in a grocery store several months ago, and the owner knew he was not supposed to have the dog in the store.  However, since there was no checker or security around,  he took advantage of the opportunity to let his pitbull accompany him on his shopping expedition.  To say that these stores, hotels and other avenues have their hands tied is ridiculous.  This dog was clearly not a service dog, and the owner knew it.  In the case of the pitbull and the child, the parent is suing for a million dollars to fix her daughter's now severely deformed face.  I think that these service animals should have a standardized system of authorization in every state and there should be a card and license issued for each dog, so that they can be tracked and monitored.  No one should be allowed to have a pet in these public spaces unless their dog has been licensed as a service dog and their owners must present evidence of this.  Otherwise, these pets do not belong in these public places where allergens and germs can affect the safety of the public, not to mention vicious dogs and dangerous breeds such as pitbulls.  Otherwise, all of these breeds should be banned permanently from any public space like an airport where there are children.  Anyone can print up a letter and say it is from their vet.  Anyone can say their dog is a service dog.  There is no standard license and no asking for proof that is a license showing these pets have actually been trained as service pets.  I am sick of my health and safety as well as the safety of other children and adults being bypassed to pacify whoever made these laws allowing this.  I have allergies and asthma, and a fear of dogs that attack people.  Why should I and others have to be exposed to this?

I share your frustration. I have been asking the federal government to strengthening the ADA so that there is some oversight. When it was enacted years ago, there were fewer conditions which used service dogs. The number of conditions covered has grown dramatically and the abuse of the law has spiraled out of control. There is no scientific evidence that some of these conditions are helped by service dogs, and there is no regulation of organizations which claim to train service dogs to work with those medical conditions.  And the double standard is that animal allergies are disabilities under the law but government officials don't want to accommodate people with animal allergies because they don't want to place any restrictions whatsoever on people with service animals. Until there are changes to the ADA to help those with animal allergies, the state governments and businesses will say their hands are tied. I am looking for support from anyone who wants to make Congress hear our voices.

The problem is that AAFA is not aggressively fighting this problem of pet dogs and emotional support pets in public buildings without let up. They need to make this a prominent focal point of allergy and asthma prevention. This is perhaps the primary health risk to people with dander-sensitive asthma and allergies, yet it is virtually ignored publicly by AAFA and other so-called health support programs!

I agree that there needs to be more emphasis on animal allergies. I have asked the president of the AAFA, Kenny Mendez, for more aid in battling the onslaught of animals in public places. I have been told by the AAFA that they have limited resources, and food allergies have taken precedence. I am concerned now that service dogs are being trained to detect food allergens, basically pitting one allergy group against another. If others on this board speak directly to the president of the AAFA requesting help in dealing with their situations, we can hopefully raise more awareness and get action taken, sooner rather than later. Please join me in pushing for changes in AAFA policy.

MG posted:

LAC posted:

MG posted:

Saphiregirl posted:

Since a pitbull attacked a child in an airport recently in my state, and the airline said the person presented a letter that was not verified as their proof of the animal being a "service animal", I am terrified of these dogs.  I encountered a pitbull in a grocery store several months ago, and the owner knew he was not supposed to have the dog in the store.  However, since there was no checker or security around,  he took advantage of the opportunity to let his pitbull accompany him on his shopping expedition.  To say that these stores, hotels and other avenues have their hands tied is ridiculous.  This dog was clearly not a service dog, and the owner knew it.  In the case of the pitbull and the child, the parent is suing for a million dollars to fix her daughter's now severely deformed face.  I think that these service animals should have a standardized system of authorization in every state and there should be a card and license issued for each dog, so that they can be tracked and monitored.  No one should be allowed to have a pet in these public spaces unless their dog has been licensed as a service dog and their owners must present evidence of this.  Otherwise, these pets do not belong in these public places where allergens and germs can affect the safety of the public, not to mention vicious dogs and dangerous breeds such as pitbulls.  Otherwise, all of these breeds should be banned permanently from any public space like an airport where there are children.  Anyone can print up a letter and say it is from their vet.  Anyone can say their dog is a service dog.  There is no standard license and no asking for proof that is a license showing these pets have actually been trained as service pets.  I am sick of my health and safety as well as the safety of other children and adults being bypassed to pacify whoever made these laws allowing this.  I have allergies and asthma, and a fear of dogs that attack people.  Why should I and others have to be exposed to this?

I share your frustration. I have been asking the federal government to strengthening the ADA so that there is some oversight. When it was enacted years ago, there were fewer conditions which used service dogs. The number of conditions covered has grown dramatically and the abuse of the law has spiraled out of control. There is no scientific evidence that some of these conditions are helped by service dogs, and there is no regulation of organizations which claim to train service dogs to work with those medical conditions.  And the double standard is that animal allergies are disabilities under the law but government officials don't want to accommodate people with animal allergies because they don't want to place any restrictions whatsoever on people with service animals. Until there are changes to the ADA to help those with animal allergies, the state governments and businesses will say their hands are tied. I am looking for support from anyone who wants to make Congress hear our voices.

The problem is that AAFA is not aggressively fighting this problem of pet dogs and emotional support pets in public buildings without let up. They need to make this a prominent focal point of allergy and asthma prevention. This is perhaps the primary health risk to people with dander-sensitive asthma and allergies, yet it is virtually ignored publicly by AAFA and other so-called health support programs!

I agree that there needs to be more emphasis on animal allergies. I have asked the president of the AAFA, Kenny Mendez, for more aid in battling the onslaught of animals in public places. I have been told by the AAFA that they have limited resources, and food allergies have taken precedence. I am concerned now that service dogs are being trained to detect food allergens, basically pitting one allergy group against another. If others on this board speak directly to the president of the AAFA requesting help in dealing with their situations, we can hopefully raise more awareness and get action taken, sooner rather than later. Please join me in pushing for changes in AAFA policy.

 

I spoke with a representative at AAFA in December 2018. Although she said that AAFA has brought the perspectives of people with dander-sensitive disabilities to the Department of Transportation (DOT) (because the airline industry doesn't have to honor our ADA rights), AAFA does not, from what I can locate, seem to be doing any serious, aggressive public campaigns on our behalf. You are correct that AAFA seems to be primarily focused on food allergies; they also hide behind arbitrary "air quality" campaigns at a time in history when few (if any) public buildings tolerate cigarette smoking. Dander is now the primary danger in smoke-free buildings. I believe that AAFA's focus is largely political: Criticizing peanuts or poor air filters doesn't get too many people triggered into a fit of hostile venom, but dog owners fly into entitled toddler tantrums of hostility, threats and swearing if they think they might not be able to bring "Fi-Fi" or "Fido" along on their grocery, Walmart or Target run anymore.

I agree that a unified group of us need to approach AAFA's leadership, maybe in a conference call, maybe in a formal letter or maybe somehow on this public forum. When a few unconnected individuals contact AAFA alone, AAFA seems to just be brushing us off, promising to "reach out" if they "need perspectives" of people with asthma and allergies, but of course they never contact those of us who will be vocal and articulate about what it is like to constantly have to abandon our shopping carts in stores or have asthma emergencies or nearly die due to the worsening and out of control dander in public buildings issue.

K8sMom2002 posted:

Welcome, 805Native, and I can understand your frustration. 

The ADA does not regulate air transportation. Instead, the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) regulates flying. Currently, the ACAA regulations have a much broader definition of a “service animal" than the ADA does.

You can read more about this on AAFA's blog post Share Your Stories About Animals on Planes and How They Affect People With Asthma and Allergies.

Thank you for the link.