I think it is time to start a group to advocate for changes to laws that allow pets and service dogs into public spaces. I'm looking to start a local group in southern NY sheridanCN1@gmail.

Since when do pets take precedence over the health of humans? This is discrimination and is illegal. The Americans with Disabilities Act needs to be revised to address this discriminatory situation. Persons advocating for persons with asthma &/or allergies should call and/or write to: Civil Rights Division of US Dept of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20530 USA, phone: 1-202-514-4609 and give them your story/case (asthma and/or allergy situation). Important to stress...

We've been advocating on this issue for a couple of year. It helps us to have patient stories when we talk with policy makers about how pet allergies affect people with asthma when they travel. If you have a story, you can email it to stories@aafa.org .

Kathy P - Please feel free to use my comments below. I am being excluded, which is discriminatory and illegal, by being unable to travel on trains, planes and unable to go to airline terminals, hotels/motels, buildings, hospitals, nursing homes, hospitals, etc. because I cannot be where dog/pets have been in the past year due to my allergy to dog/pet dander. This is a direct threat to my health by limiting my major life activity of breathing due to forcing me, in these enclosed areas, to...

I am working in my state to get a bill introduced on behalf of those of us with life-threatening asthma, allergies and anaphylaxis in regards to this ubiquitous problem of fake service pets, "emotional support" dogs and just general entitlement of pet owners bringing pets into nearly every public building and store. Those of us with dander-sensitive disabilities have been suffering in silence, are being pushed out of our communities and have been ignored, treated rudely and unheard while the...

Welcome to AAFA LAC! How long have you been dealing with alleriges/asthma?

Hi, I've had allergies since age three and asthma since age 14, after a severe case of bronchitis. The animal dander reactions became increasingly severe to the point of being life-threatening by age 15. I also have food sensitivities and a food and drug allergy, but it is the dander allergy that poses the greatest threat, as our society is so hostile towards anyone who points out that people need to come before dogs.

I am so sorry you have had so many struggles. We have four in our family with asthma and two children with life threatening food allergies.

I'm really sorry to hear about your family's allergies and asthma, as well. It is so scary, especially with children. We have multiple family members with various allergies and four that have/had life-threatening asthmatic reactions to dander. I am here to try to find other like-minded sufferers to help us mobilize a legal effort to put a stop to this out of control problem of dogs and other animals in public buildings, stores and on public transportation. It seems like the dander issue is...

Definitely interested! There is an enormous amount of misinformation being disseminated about animal dander allergies, and appropriate treatment for asthma and allergies. There is a lot of work that can and should be done to help people understand the facts and the fair treatment of persons affected by these conditions.

I contacted Amtrak through their website with an electronic message option in October 2018. I received no reply when I inquired about how they are accommodating passengers with dog/cat allergies and allergy induced asthma. It appears that the travel industry as a whole is putting profits before public health and safety. Also, I don't understand why the travel industry is not subject to make accommodations for a breathing disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act. I had an allergic...

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 .

I haven't been able to fly since 2011. I contacted the ACLU and they declined to take on the issue of pets being allowed on planes and trains without even the ADA standards in place to protect those of us with dander-sensitive asthma and allergies. It is very unjust how profits are being put before life and death health issues.

The bill in my state passed in the House Committee. If it is voted to pass in the House, it will move to the Senate. It is a long process, but you have to begin by contacting your local House of Representatives rep for your area. Explain to him or her why a bill in your state is needed and ask him or her to look at examples of other states who are tightening up on the misrepresentation of pets as "service animals".

Unfortunately, the American Civil Liberties Union will not intervene in this matter with public transportation. The number you provided is a great course of action as is local state action.

I totally agree with you. The problem is becoming out of control. I have tried reaching out to both the federal and state government to have action taken to revise ADA or put laws into place protecting those with animal allergies. I'm told that the issues aren't "on their agendas". I've been told that I need to make a groundswell to get the government to listen. Any ideas would be welcome. The Department of Justice wasn't very helpful, telling me to take up my issues with my state...

My state passed a bill making it a misdemeanor to misrepresent a pet as a service animal. Unfortunately, the law is nearly impossible to enforce since there are so many limitations on what can be asked to prove the animal is a service animal. Most businesses don't know the laws so they don't bother to ask. Many people continue to lie if they are asked because they know they don't have to provide any proof. I have requested to my State representatives that the ADA be strengthened so that...

I'm glad they passed a law that helps even a little, and maybe they can strengthen the law to make it easier to enforce.

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...

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...

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...

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...

Thank you for the link.