The bonds we share with our pets can be some of the most powerful ones we experience in our lifetime. But is it worth breaking the law for a few extra minutes with Fido? That’s often what pet owners are doing when they purchase a service animal vest online and pretend that an untrained pet is a service animal just to have them close by when traveling or enjoying dinner at a restaurant.
What many people may not realize is that trying to pass off an untrained pet as a service animal can be potentially dangerous for people who require a service animal because of a disability. Here are some key reasons not to pretend your pet is one of the 20,000 active service animals and the problems with making fraudulent claims that your pooch is a service animal.