When individuals misrepresent their pets as service animals to gain unwarranted privileges, they undermines the rights and privileges intended for those with genuine disabilities, but also poses potential risks and challenges for those who rely on legitimate service animals. This bill would make the offense of misrepresenting a companion animal as a service animal for personal benefit when a person expressly or impliedly represents that an animal in his/her possession is a service animal for the purpose of obtaining any rights or privileges afforded to a person with a disability requiring the assistance of a service animal.
Why Support This Bill?
Protecting Legitimate Service Animal Users: Genuine service animals play a crucial role in supporting individuals with disabilities. Misrepresentation compromises their rights and accessibility.
Maintaining Public Trust: False representation erodes public trust in the legitimacy of service animals, making it harder for those with genuine needs to navigate public spaces.
Ensuring Safety: Service animals are trained to behave appropriately in various situations. Misrepresented animals may not have the necessary training, posing potential risks to public safety.
Upholding Integrity: Misrepresentation undermines the integrity of programs and services designed to support individuals with disabilities, ultimately hindering the effectiveness of these initiatives.
How Can You Help?
- Familiarize yourself with the proposed bill and its implications for the community.
- Express your support for the bill to local representatives. Click here to find your Senator and let him/her know that you support this proposed bill for the reasons listed above: Find Your Senator
- Support initiatives that educate the public about the rights and responsibilities associated with service animals.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Marcia Davey, Chair of the Legislative Committee at [email protected] or Marlene Ruiz, Director of Oversight for the Legislative Committee at [email protected]
