A service dog-in-training, the 8-month old black and white puppy yanks the veteran back to reality with a tug on his pants when a panic attack begins. Often, Carey says, she knows one is coming before he does.
Plagued by anxiety, Carey hopes a new state law won't stop people like him from healing.
Lawmakers have eliminated references to emotional support animals allowed in private and public places, leaving some Utahns with disabilities concerned about what the future may hold for their service or comfort animal. They worry the law will step on the rights of the disabled, preventing them from getting the animal assistance they need.
"Our biggest concern is the confusion it's going to cause," said Alison Smith, an advocate at the Disability Law Center in Salt Lake City, noting that "service animal" under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is broadly defined.
Which animals are permitted and where they can go may leave their owners and businesses puzzled, she said. Emotional support animals had been broadly defined as one identified by a mental health therapist and needed in a specific location to address a mental health issue.
Read More:
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_11881348
.gif "Playful Kitty")