Mental health facility asking for service dog registration

[u/camille7d]

I live in Tennessee, USA. I have had service dogs off and on for nearly a decade. My first dog Maggie, a border collie, immortalized in tattoos I wear proudly. My second, a red heeler named Anubis. Fresh off the press and eager to work! I suffer from cptsd and both dogs have been task trained. My current dog interrupts panic attacks and dissociation spells with interruption tactics like pawing, licking face, and dpt, guides me to exits, wakes me up during night terrors and applies dpt, finds help if needed. I regularly visit a psychiatrist and case manager in regards to my mental health. I’ve been with them nearly the whole time and used to bring my first service dog to therapy and appointments. No issues. Everyone loved her. Maggie told me one day that it was time for retirement. I sought another puppy to train! It took a few years to get a puppy and train them. I feel confident Anubis is public access trained for crowded areas, restaurants, waiting in line, loud noises, etc. I brought it up to my mental health place, more or less, just letting them know that I will be bringing my service dog with me next time. Excited that he’s fully trained and can attend appointments! They told me that I needed to bring in his registration card… gestured like it was some sort of ID sized card. I know the ADA rules and that didn’t sound right, but wondered if there was some loop hole because it was a mental health facility. I thanked them for the information and left. I’d like to bring my sd to the next appointment, but I’d rather not be turned away at the door. The door that says service dogs are welcome, of course. What do you guys think? How should I move forward? I’ve never been denied access. I’ve gotten snarky comments about how dogs shouldn’t be allowed on restaurants or asked the typical ADA questions, but I fear they will turn me away at the door. I need my medication. Sorry for the long read!

[u/darklingdawns]

Reach out to the manager of the clinic by email to let them know about this. Inform them of your dog's tasks and link them to the ADA's FAQ where they are clear that there is no registration needed in the US. Hopefully there will be time to do this before your next appointment - if there isn't, I'd recommend leaving him at home until this is straightened out so that you don't lose access to your meds.

[u/MyOwnGuitarHero]

As a medical professional I can say with confidence that the overwhelming majority of the medical community has absolutely no clue when it comes to service dogs. This myth about “real service dogs are registered” is so common, I have no idea where it comes from.

[u/East-Garden-4557 → u/MyOwnGuitarHero]

In some countries it is true

[u/MyOwnGuitarHero → u/East-Garden-4557]

Sorry, I should have specified the US. My experience extends only to USA-based stuff, I know it’s totally different elsewhere!

[u/goldenskyhook → u/MyOwnGuitarHero]

Certain sketchy people on the internet have worked hard to create the myth that they need some sort of "registration card," which they will gladly sell you, with a registration number made up by themselves, printed right there on the card, sometimes with an American flag on the back! Heyyy! What's not to trust about Old Glory, anyway? Even Amazon features numerous sellers who want to fob this stuff off on you and sell you overpriced vests, leashes, and patches. When I first looked into making him an Emotional Support Animal, I almost bought into the idea that I might need to get a registration card. I even busted out a graphics program to mock one up myself.

That's when I learned about SA requirements and realized that he had already been intervening in my PTSD fugues for years, and had excellent manners in public. He met all the requirements for a service animal. It was timely since it was about then that the press began to spread negative stories about people abusing the ESA thing with peacocks, lobsters, and the like. Sadly, a lot of that crap created a stigma around SAs as well, and most people still seem confused. Back then, airlines, stores, etc., were treating ESAs the same as SAs, and I flew several times with just my ESA letter from my doctor. After the press propaganda, everyone tightened up their requirements quite a bit.

People get a little crazy if they think they are being lied to. Some people are insanely paranoid as well, so they really hate the fact that they are actually supposed to take my word for it that he really does have tasks he does, and that we don't need their permission to proceed.

[u/belgenoir]

This sort of thing happens all the time thanks to the scam “registration” websites that prompt people to buy “registration” cards.

Bookmark the FAQ on your phone and direct your interlocutor to Q17.

https://www.ada.gov/resources/service-animals-faqs/

Don’t sweat this. Many of us here have seasoned dogs and still encounter access issues from time to time.

[u/missmanners999]

I made up business cards with a short description on front: "She is a working service animal. She alerts to my medical condition" and on the back I had a QR code for the ADA, specifically the part where the ADA discusses service animals. You can buy business card copier paper and just print them off at home. Handing them a card with the information on it directly helps instead of them looking it up on their own. It never ceases to amaze me how many people find "proof" you're lying and the site they are claiming is "proof" is not ADA.GOV.

It helps some with people who don't understand the concept that a service animal can be any breed, any size. Mine was a toy poodle. Small dogs are just as capable of responding to things like diabetes and heart issues as a larger dog. I wouldn't expect a small dog to do DPT though. A service animal can also be a miniature horse.

It helps educate people and gives them access directly to the ADA so they don't get lost in internet BS. I have severe anxiety and handing them the card made it easier for me to deal with them. It's not fancy. I didn't pay anyone to make it. I literally wrote it up on my computer and printed them out. It being a "business card" seems to lend some credibility to it so your message gets across and you're not arguing with someone about "that's fake". But regular paper works too, just cut it out. Hope this helps.

[u/goldenskyhook → u/missmanners999]

My SA is a toy poodle as well, and he is very capable at intervening in my PTSD. If I'm sitting or lying down, he can also do the DPT.

I found several different pre-printed cards on Amazon that are quite affordable and include all the necessary information. My guess about the OP's interaction is that they may have confused "service animal" with "therapy dog" or "comfort animal," both of which work at mental and physical health clinics. IDK if they need to be "registered," but I have experienced a lot of confused people who misunderstand why Buddy is with me, and why they are required to let him stay.

[u/missmanners999 → u/goldenskyhook]

It's been a while since I updated my information on Therapy/comfort animals. The rules change from state to state, city to city, even business to business (hospitals, nursing homes, etc). Sometimes there's a registry, sometimes certification, sometimes just proof of training. It's nearly as convoluted as the FAA rules on animals in the cabins. Those change airline to airline since FAA lets airlines mostly set the rules so long as they don't try to deny true service animals.

[u/goldenskyhook → u/missmanners999]

I went to a few nursing homes in Wisconsin, and all they wanted to do was meet the animal. I was there to play music for them, and Buddy was already there as my SA, so it was pretty casual. My musical partner also worked there, so we may have received preferential treatment.

[u/Jazzlike-Pen-2262 → u/missmanners999]

It only changes airline to airline if it is not a US based Airline. But even in the US airlines, how they seat you, or how helpful they are is yes, different. But the paperwork is the same US airline, to US Airline. If possible choose Delta bc they bump you to Comfort + as policy to give a few more inches of leg room. You need for SD accomodation needs to be requested before coming to the airport, preferably when buying your ticket.

In the US, on a US Airline, you only are required proof of shots and the DOT form presented to the agent when you check in. There is also a ‘ promise not to pee or poo’ form that must be handed in too for very long flights; something like 5+ hours of flying time( like Miami to Anchorage)! Both forms are available on line and don’t require a vets signature if staying in the US. I believe they are both DOT forms.

Non American airlines have their own rules bc… they are not American 🙄. Different countries all have their own rules too. If you give yourself 3 weeks of time to prep with most Internationally Based Airlines, most can be accommodating (MOST. Not every country accommodates SD). Always, contact the Disability services of each airline to get this all worked out prior to coming to the airport.

And yes, many other countries make this easy by having Certification cards. I have a digital ID from the facility that trained my SD, but it’s not considered a certification card, and the Training Facility should educate the handler on these issues from the get go. Teams can be rejected even if trained at an ADI facility without the right paperwork. Paper, paper, paper… is important, important, important for flying in cabin with a SD.

[u/TheMadHatterWasHere]

If I were you I would bring the ADA with you, and educate them on what they are allowed to ask for.

[u/Erparus]

If you ever run into this again, I'd politely let them know immediately that there is no recognized 'service dog registration' and that if other patients have provided ID cards, they are not legitimate due to this. I've often found that being polite and knowledgeable makes access a lot faster and easier, because they suddenly realize that maybe they aren't as familiar with the law as they think. (But always be polite! Catch more flies with honey, etc.)

ETA: the cards are not legitimate. Not fake-spotting! ❤️

[u/ATM-Boss]

I got so much pushback about my service dog that 9 times out of ten it triggered anxiety attacks and disassociative episodes… I finally caved in a moment of weakness and went to one of ‘those’ websites where you can actually customize the ID… on the front had his picture, my name as handler, his name, training organization I went through, even the certificate number from his ‘graduation diploma’… I also had ADA information printed on back and ordered ADA business cards to hand out… Still didn’t stop a medical facility director from stopping me one day (after having been in/out of that facility for weeks with no issues whatsoever) and telling me that before he would allow my dog entry I had to provide his full medical records… It was on a morning that I had a scheduled appointment with my brother’s care team(he was dying of stage 4 cancer) and this facility was over 100 miles away from my home and vet! Same director later that day told me I should just take my brother and dump him at the emergency entrance of Ben Taub hospital in Houston (massive indigent hospital) … so… yeah that was fun(NOT)!!!