A while back I wrote about how I am opposed to certification for service dogs because I believe it would create barriers for people with disabilities. It would cost money and I believe service dog handlers would have to bear at least some of that cost. Lack of accessible transportation would also create a barrier if a handler had to go somewhere to get their dog certified.
But here's more. And this is possibly the most important thing, I think.
Most people do not need a special ID card or certification to go to Walmart or McDonald's or wherever. I don't believe I should have to have a special ID just because I am disabled and need a service dog.
Yes, I realize most people do not get to take a dog to Walmart or McDonald's, so there is something different about me. But then, most people don't have PTSD and fibromyalgia, either. Most people are not disabled.
It's a civil rights issue, really. The Americans with Disabilities Act is a civil rights law. Requiring someone to have a special ID just because they are disabled would be a violation of their civil rights. And yes, some might say the ID is not because I am disabled, it is because I have a service dog. But I have a service dog, I need a service dog, because I am disabled.
I don't believe I should have to show ID to go to Walmart unless everyone is going to be required to do so. It's about civil rights. It's about equality.
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