HONOLULU — Hawaii lawmakers have introduced a law that would make it a crime to falsely present an animal as a service animal.
The law introduced in January would make the act of falsely claiming an animal to be a service animal a misdemeanor offense, punishable by a maximum penalty of up to six months in jail or up to $1,000 for the first offense.
Democrat state Sen. Russell Ruderman of Puna sponsored the bill. He said it’s intended to prevent people from abusing the system and bringing untrained pets into public places, which can lead to owners of legitimate service animals being treated with suspicion.
“There are two kinds of animals we’re talking about,” Ruderman said. “There are the (Americans with Disabilities Act) service animals. Then there are the so-called ‘comfort animals’ or ‘emotional support’ animals.”
Ruderman said that problems arise when people claim their pet is a service animal.
“People are cautious about challenging people who say that,” Ruderman said.
Some service animal supporters said the measure is needed to protect those who actually have disabilities, but critics said it would be too hard to enforce.
Hawaii Fi-Do Service Dogs specializes in training dogs to help people with diagnosed disabilities. Executive Director Jim Kennedy said several states across the country have already passed similar laws.
“It’s an important first step to start a really long needed education program in the state of Hawaii about the problem with fake service dogs,” Kennedy said.
The state Attorney General’s office said a law would be challenging to enforce because an investigator would have to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the animal wasn’t trained to be a service dog.
Ruderman said he agrees enforcement would be difficult, but that he believes the law could help crack down on the issue.
Russell Ruderman—I don’t like your bill. For the record I don’t have a service animal so that’s not why. I do have dogs though, and I am encouraged by the way Hawaii in general and Kauai in specific is becoming more dog friendly and welcoming. I wish you represented my area, I would work to get you out of government.
It seems obvious that a blind person, for example, requires a service dog for most, if not all things in the public. But more and more we are seeing dogs in restauranrts, grocery stores, and most any kind of store, including airplanes…accompanying people who do not have any need for a dog other than companionship.
Knowing dogs live closer to the ground and tolerate sniffing and licking things that humans would not consider sanitary, it certainly makes me uncomfortable to see dogs at the next table at the restaurant, or by the fruits and veggies at the supermarket doing what they do as dogs…sniffing and other things.
Or sleeping on the same hotel bed the night before you do.
Rights are rights, but wrongs should not be tolerated.
Charles
Sen. Russell Ruderman This is a rediculous waste of time. Seriously you don’t have a more important bill to introduce? So what if people have your “so called” companion dogs. Most of them make better companions than people. Animals although have no voice, should be treated with respect like humans. And as for the writer Charlie chimknee. People make me more uncomfortable in restaurants, hotels, airplanes and grocery stores. I know that many men do not wash their hands after using the bathroom and then touch our food and everything else. That is more disgusting to me. Dogs don’t do that. Nor do they get on a plane when they are sick, sneezing and coughing. They don’t spread horrible infectious diseases by travel. Humans are the ones that cause any bad diseases in animals. So let’s not worry about mans best friend. Worry about the man!