Imagine sitting in a quiet library and suddenly hearing the loud bark of a dog.
Not what you might expect – but this isn’t just any dog.
“She’ll bark at [other people] because it helps me out with knowing someone is behind me,” said Elizabeth Reeve, who owns a service dog.
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires prohibits businesses and facilities that serve the public – such as restaurants, stores, or theaters – from discriminating against individuals with handicaps. This means businesses must allow people with disabilities to bring their service animals wherever customers are generally allowed.
Reeve, who uses a wheelchair, said her service dog, Sassy, helps with her balance and retrieving items.
Reeve also has a type of tunnel vision, so Sassy lets Reeve know when someone is around her.
When a person with a dog enters a business, people working there are allowed to ask if it is a service dog. If the owner says yes, the dog must be allowed inside. Some service dogs are dressed with special collars or harnesses, but these are not required.
“A second question is, ‘What does the dog do for you?’ If the person can’t answer, then it probably isn’t a service dog,” said Reeve.
A service animal is defined by the ADA as “any guide dog or signal dog or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability.” If an animal falls under this definition, the ADA recognizes it as a service animal, regardless of whether it has been licensed or certified.
Reeve has actually experienced complaints about her service dog at church, school and in other public places.
“I’ve gone into restaurants and people still tell me I can’t have a service dog,” said Reeve.
Tahlequah Mayor Ken Purdy acknowledges that situations like these have arisen before.
“We have helped facilitate better understanding with business owners with the ADA,” said Purdy. “As a city, we are always cognizant of what our facilities need to be for people with disabilities.”
The most recognized type of service dog is a guide dog, or a seeing-eye dog, although there are several types of service animals. Dogs, and sometimes other animals, are now trained for hearing alerts, seizure alert and response, medical alert, and autism service.
“Around here, because service dogs are so new to people with mobility, most people know guide dogs and don’t recognize mobility dogs or PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder] dogs,” said Reeve.
Reeve said dogs are currently being issued to soldiers coming back from the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan who are dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. The dogs will help them get out, go in public and if blackouts occur, alert them or help in other ways.
Alerting help is another reason Reeve is thankful for Sassy.
While preparing to be in a parade, Reeve hit a hole and was overturned in her chair. Her dog was able to alert help.
“She was able to get me help, and with that help, I didn’t have to be in that position for that long. Without her, I would not even take the chance to get out,” said Reeve.
For more information on the rights of service animals in places of business, visit the ADA website at www.ada.gov, which can also be found through a link on www.cityoftahlequah.com.
“We were able to post on our website information specifically related to service animals. We’re hopeful we can facilitate better understanding,” said Purdy.
