People with Disabilities & SD Awareness

Texas A&M University-Kingsville Not Allowing Service Dog in Dorms -

A Texas A&M University-Kingsville student says he's disabled and needs his service dog, but the university is saying no way.

Greg Stelfox is a student at the university. His dog "Bandit" is more than just a pet, he's a doctor-ordered, therapy dog prescribed to Greg for emotional support.

"When he's with me I'm calm, there's nothing that could intrude my life that would make me nervous or make me think that something is wrong, that something is going to happen to me," Greg said.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, service animals, and the people they help, are protected to live in places where pets are not allowed. That means even though dorm policy may say "no pets allowed," Bandit is allowed under Federal Law to live in the dorms with Greg. But university officials are still saying no.
Read On:
http://www.kztv10.com/news2005/viewarticle.asp?a=9534

Oh another article with some issues here. From this article it does not sound like the dog in question is a service dog. It sounds more to be a Emotional Support Animal. Henceforth the ESA are not covered under the ADA at all.

It mentions the dog is a therapy dog that in itself would question the fact of a service dog. It also states the dog is there to calm him down with no training just being there. That could be a fine line as many service dogs do calms one blood pressure down but that's not their main job. They must have formal task training to benefit the said individual. An ESA does not have to have such training which is why they are not covered under the ADA.

The big issue is these doctors do not know the difference of a PTD and a ESA. Henceforth they call all dogs service dogs when they are not. So the individual is told that getting a pet for calming is consider a service animal and that's the downfall.

Misinformation going out.....