Service dogs: Real or Fake?

Did you know you can break federal law with your pet? Lots of people are guilty of it – some intentionally.

They're buying service dog vests for their untrained animals to pass them off as real service dogs. Why? To get their pets into places they're not allowed, like restaurants, grocery stores, even on flights!

This issue is close to me. Many of you know I'm a volunteer puppy raiser for a group called Canine Companions for Independence.

The dogs go through years of specialized training, and hopefully graduate to become working service dogs for someone with a disability, someone who needs a dog to help with tasks.

The abuse is creating problems for those who really need the help of a legitimate service dog. They could be creating the right opportunity for a potentially dangerous distraction to real service dog.

Monday at 5:30, we'll review the rules, the blatant abuse of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the confusion about service dogs versus therapy dogs.