Missouri is a step closer to cracking down on phony service animals.
Missouri Ready For Service Dogs
May 21, 2020
In one of their final acts before adjourning for the year, members of the Missouri House voted 137-6 to send Gov. Mike Parson a proposed law designed to curb the proliferation of fake emotional support animals.
The legislation was the culmination of eight years of work by Rep. Chrissy Sommer, a St. Charles Republican who cannot run again because of term limits.
“I am so happy and proud to eventually get this passed,” Sommer said.
Alaska Airlines, for instance, prohibits rodents, ferrets and snakes. Delta’s list includes birds, all amphibians and animals with tusks, horns or hoofs, such as goats.
Legitimate users of animal assistants say the rise in the number of fake support animals has made it harder for them to find acceptance for their trained companions in stores and other public places.
“There has been so much fraud when it comes to service dogs and ESA’s across the state and nation,” Sommer said.
The federal Americans With Disabilities Act requires restaurants and other businesses to allow service dogs and miniature horses — the only two animals recognized as service animals — in areas open to the public.
The legislation would add mental health to a list of reasons why people have a service dog, rather than limiting it to, for example, people with physical limitations.
The legislation notes that a psychological service dog would be trained for an owner who has a psychiatric disability, medical condition or developmental disability.
If signed into law, any person knowingly misrepresenting a dog as a service dog for the purposes of receiving accommodations under the ADA and the Fair Housing Act would be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Reports of individuals impersonating someone with a disability or misrepresenting an animal as a service animal would be handled by the Missouri Commission on Human Rights.
The state also would make placards available to businesses stating that service dogs are welcome and that misrepresenting a service dog is a violation of Missouri law.
The measure moved through the Senate in March on a 28-1 vote. If approved, it will go into effect on Aug. 28.
Learn more About:
Most Recent News
Former Victoria man’s diabetic alert dog helps him get back to life
June 2, 2021
When Luke Hengen’s diabetes worsened in his early twenties, it stripped him of the outdoor activities where the country kid felt at home. Countless wilderness adventures and years of hard-fought football games took a toll on his body, to the point where he could no longer sense when his blood sugar was too high or […]Students Get Therapy Dog
January 8, 2021
When middle school students return to class on Jan. 11, they’ll find a new face at the door: Daisy. Daisy is a therapy dog and the personal pet of Rob Kreger, principal of the Rock L. Butler Middle School. The five-year-old golden retriever is not a school pet or mascot, but rather a working dog […]Therapy Dogtor
January 8, 2021
Last March, Caroline Benzel, a third-year medical student, began to notice the stress and discomfort her nurse friends were feeling from the pressures of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. “[Personal protective equipment] can be really rough on the skin,” Benzel, 31, tells PEOPLE. Benzel and her 3-year-old Rottweiler, Loki (who’s also a therapy dog) hatched a […]Therapy Dog Pups
January 8, 2021
When Stanley the miniature fox terrier’s owner passed away, the little dog started a ‘paw-some’ new role – bringing puppy love to some of the Gold Coast’s oldest residents. After Carinity Cedarbrook Diversional Therapist Julianne Staff adopted Stanley, he began visiting the aged care community at Mudgeeraba as a therapy dog. Therapy dogs help to […]Puppy Cams
January 7, 2021
A nonprofit is providing an unusual form of therapy for those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic – puppy cams! “You spend five minutes with a puppy and try not to smile,” said registered nurse Robin Lingg Lagrone. Lingg Lagrone says watching little furballs wag their tails and prance on their paws helps […]Pet Committee
January 7, 2021
When Moore County’s school doors were abruptly closed earlier in 2020, two- and four-legged volunteers from the Moore County Citizens’ Pet Responsibility Committee (PRC) were in their 12th year of presenting a six-session Pet Responsibility Education Program for fourth-graders. The PRC quickly shifted gears and placed its program materials online as part of a home […]The Right Rescue Dog
January 7, 2021
If your New Year’s resolution is to add a canine family member, good for you. Somewhere out there is the perfect puppy or adult dog for your family. You have a lot of things to think about when you begin to look for that new family member, puppy or dog? Large or small? Purebred or […]Police Dog Attack
January 7, 2021
A resolution headed to the Duluth City Council on Monday could put to rest a lawsuit filed by Teri Lynn Ehlers, an employee of the Patch Motel, who was bitten by a Duluth police dog named Oakley. Former Duluth Police Officer Marc Johnson was a registered guest of the Warroad establishment May 28, 2018, when […]PAWS With A Cause
January 7, 2021
Pebble Hill Plantation and the Thomas County Public Library are pleased to announce the upcoming Enlightening Bites program, “PAWS With a Cause,” on Friday, January 8, 2021 at noon in the Flipper Room of the Library. The program is being presented by Jeri Anderson, field representative. Anderson is recently retired from the City of Monticello, […]Police Canine Team
January 7, 2021
Kingston Police revealed in a news release late Wednesday afternoon that they’ve been keeping a four-legged secret for roughly three months. The force announced it added a second canine unit, with the arrival of police service dog Dak this past October. He is working with Const. Jeff Dickson, while police service dog Bask is working […]
