Frequently Asked Questions
If you have other questions we weren't able to address here, feel free to contact us!
Service Dog
Service animals, as defined by American with Disabilities Act, are dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Now, what does that actually mean? We have broken down the definition into three parts to help better understand: disability, training, and tasks.
Disability: An individual with a disability is defined by the ADA as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment.
According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), over 1 out of 4 (26% ~ 61 million) of adults in the United States have some type of disability who may benefit from the assistance of a Service Animal.
Training: Service animals must always have basic obedience training. They should always behave in public and be under the control of the handler. In addition to the basic obedience training, a service animal must be trained (either by a professional trainer or the handler themselves) to perform a task, or an act of “service”, directly related to the handler’s disability.
Tasks: The task(s) a service animal performs for its handler must be directly related to the disability.
In conclusion, if you have a dog that has been trained (either by yourself or a professional) to provide assistance for your disability, then you may qualify to have a service animal.
Yes. A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove his service dog from the premises unless:
- the dog is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it or
- the dog is not housebroken.
When there is a legitimate reason to ask that a service dog be removed, staff must offer the person with the disability the opportunity to obtain goods or services without the animal’s presence.
There are only two questions you may be asked regarding your service dog:
- is the dog a service dog required because of a disability, and
- what work or task has the dog been trained to perform.
Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task.
- Can go anywhere public has access
- No county licensing fees
- Tax deductible
- Providing assistance to disabled handler
- Improving the handler’s self-esteem
- A Greater Feeling of Independence
- Flies with handler in cabin for free
- Lives with handler in housing for free
- Stays with handler in hotel for free
Your physical kit (certificate, ID card, tag, collar, leash, vest, if ordered) will arrive in 3-7 business days with our free shipping. We also offer the following expedited shipping options:
- $9 Priority (2-3 business days)
- $45 Express (1-2 business days)
In a rush to receive your certificate and ID cards with your registration? You may add your electronic copies to any kit to receive your digital certificate and ID card via email in less than 24 hours.
Service Animals are protected under federal law by the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), which protects the handler’s rights to have their service animal accompany them anywhere the general public has access.
Some State and local laws also define service animal more broadly than the ADA does. Information about such laws can be obtained from the State attorney general’s office.
When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed. Staff may ask two questions:
- Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and
- What work or task has the dog been trained to perform.
Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task. Doing so may be in violation of federal law.
Individuals who believe that they have been illegally denied access or service because they use service animals may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice. Individuals also have the right to file a private lawsuit in Federal court charging the entity with discrimination under the ADA.
Psychiatric Service Dog
Some of the most common mental health conditions that may necessitate the assistance of a psychiatric service dog include:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Depression
- Anxiety Disorders
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders
- Bipolar Disorders
- Social Phobias
- Schizophrenia
- Agoraphobia
- Claustrophobia
- Panic Disorders
- Autism
Psychiatric service dogs are protected under federal law by the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), which protects the handler’s rights to have their psychiatric service animal accompany them anywhere the general public has access.
Some State and local laws also define psychiatric service animal more broadly than the ADA does. Information about such laws can be obtained from the State attorney general’s office.
When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed. Staff may ask two questions:
- Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and
- What work or task has the dog been trained to perform.
Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task. Doing so may be in violation of federal law.
Individuals who believe that they have been illegally denied access or service because they use psychiatric service animals may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice. Individuals also have the right to file a private lawsuit in Federal court charging the entity with discrimination under the ADA.
Psychiatric service dogs are trained to help with mental disabilities by providing a task.
An emotional support dog is a dog that provides comfort and support in forms of affection and companionship for an individual suffering from various mental and emotional conditions.
An emotional support dog is not required to perform any specific tasks for disability like a psychiatric service dogs are. There are meant solely for emotional stability and unconditional love.
Psychiatric service dogs are protected by federal law and are allowed to accompany you everywhere you go, whereas emotional support dogs are only protected to stay with you in your housing.
Your physical kit (certificate, ID card, tag, collar, leash, vest, if ordered) will arrive in 3-7 business days with our free shipping. We also offer the following expedited shipping options:
- $9 Priority (2-3 business days)
- $45 Express (1-2 business days)
In a rush to receive your certificate and ID cards with your registration? You may add your electronic copies to any kit to receive your digital certificate and ID card via email in less than 24 hours.
Emotional Support Dog
Federal law requires individuals with an Emotional Support Dog to provide a valid letter (dated within the past 12 months) from a doctor or mental health professional recommending the use of their animal. This letter may be requested from your building manager/landlord.
If you do not have a letter we can assign you to one of our licensed providers in your state and they will provide you signed housing authorization letter within 1 day after you submit your online questionnaire.
- Comforting the handler with their presence
- Providing a sense of focus and purpose in its handler
- Improving the handler’s self-esteem
- Reducing stress
- Lives with handler in housing for free
Building manager/landlords may ask for a note, written by a doctor or mental health professional, recommending the use of an Emotional Support Animal. It may be from your physician, psychiatrist, therapist, or licensed clinical social worker (LCSW). To be valid, the letter must be current (dated within the past 12 months) and updated annually.
All of our kits have the option of adding the Housing letter, which includes a signed letter from a licensed practitioner after an online evaluation.
Please do note that while emotional support animals do not require specific training for one’s disability, they must have basic obedience training and not misbehave in public.
All of our kits have the option of adding the Housing letter, Housing providers require the letters to be designated specifically for living with your dog. If you wish to receive a letter, you may add it to your kit.
Each letter includes an online evaluation by a licensed practitioner, in which you will receive your signed letter recommending the use of an Emotional Support Animal, if approved.
Once your request has been reviewed by a licensed practitioner and approved, you will receive your signed letter in one business day. Your physical kit (certificate, ID card, tag, collar, leash, vest, if ordered) will arrive in 3-7 business days with our free shipping.
- $9 Priority (2-3 business days)
- $45 Express (1-2 business days)
In a rush to receive your certificate and ID cards with your registration? You may add your electronic copies to any kit to receive your digital certificate and ID card via email in less than 24 hours.
Therapy Dog
General
Service dog, psychiatric service dog, emotional support dog, or therapy dog’s name and handler’s name, as well as registration number with optional picture (ID card only).
You will receive your kit within 3-7 business days with our free shipping. You also have the option of expediting the shipping process during the checkout page if you need your kit sooner.
- Express Shipping (1-2 Business days)
- Priority Shipping (2-3 Business days)
We also have the option for electronic copies, which you will receive your ID card and certificate via Email within 24 hours.
