Over the past few decades, Boise has seen a growth of service dogs. A majority of this growth has to do with our booming population, but a small portion of this has to do with people presenting their family dogs as training service, therapy, or emotional support dogs so they can take Fido everywhere.

Let's take a look at what the significant differences are in these types of working canines.

Service Dogs

1. Provide a specific service to a specific person who may have a vision impairment, suffer from seizures, diabetes, PTSD, and even life-threatening allergies.
2. They are working dogs, highly trained to handle specific events.
3. By law, service dogs are allowed to accompany their owners everywhere.

Therapy Dogs

1. Provide comfort and emotional support to people with anxiety, depression, or who are experiencing a difficult time in their lives.
2. These dogs usually have one owner or handler but work with many people.
3. These dogs are typically registered with a national organization like the Therapy Dog Program with the American Kennel Club.
4. The ADA does not require by law that public venues or private businesses allow therapy dogs access to their establishments.

Emotional Support Dogs

1. This is a dog (or any other type of pet) that a clinical professional has identified as an important part of a person's ongoing treatment. The person must have a verifiable disability for a medical professional to advise the use of an emotional support dog.
2. The ADA does not require by law that public venues or private businesses allow emotional support dogs or pets access to their establishments.

Fake Service Dogs are Becoming an Increasing Problem

Legitimate service dogs are well trained and a necessity to the people they are assigned to. These dogs are calm and will only cause a scene when their owner needs help. Service dogs never bark, growl, or jump up on people. These dogs are highly trained and will only do their business when appropriate.

Fake service dogs are a safety issue for the general public and have been creating negative opinions toward the acceptance and public opinion of service dogs. It's not hard for people to pass off their regular pets as a service or therapy dog.

A legitimate service dog will also display the following:

• Most service dogs wear vests displaying their status, even though they are not required to.
• A vast majority of service dogs have "four on the floor" when they're not performing a specific task. Service dogs are not carried in purses, bags, carts, or strollers.
• Service dogs are always trained to ignore outside distractions. They will not growl, bark, or react to other dogs. Trained service dogs will stay with their owners with or without a leash or harness.

Where Does Idaho Stand with Protecting Service Dogs?

Idaho law protects those with disabilities who have service dogs in public places. According to Idaho code and the ADA laws though, there isn't a requirement of documentation or identification including unique dog tags with regard to service animals. While this is meant to protect those with actual disabilities from being discriminated against, it does present an issue for others to identify "fake" service dogs.

Idaho Code § 18-5811A states that any person, not being a disabled person or being trained to assist disabled persons, who uses an assistance device or assistance dog to gain treatment or benefits as a disabled person, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

What we can do is all be advocates for service dogs and spread the news about the real harm that can be done when people pose their pets as service animals so that they don't have to leave their furry baby at home. We all love our pets and want to bring them everywhere, but we all need to be responsible owners and know when it's appropriate to bring Fido and when it's not.