What Do You Think Of The “Proof” That These Dogs Are Service Animals? Delray Beach Restaurant Owner Upset With Boca Rudeton Mention.
DELRAY BEACH, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2025 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — The owner of Avalon Beach House in Delray Beach wasn’t thrilled to be included in Sunday’s edition of Boca Rudeton — our regular look at stores and restaurants that seem to be permitting animals inside in potential violation of Florida law. Florida Statute makes it clear that pets aren’t allowed in restaurants and that “emotional support animals” are NOT service animals. Service animals are trained to perform a legitimate and often lifesaving function. It’s a crime to lie about your dog’s training.
But in commenting to BocaNewsNow.com, the owner — who we won’t identify for now — did highlight a problem that restaurants and stores have when it comes to verifying just how legitimate an animal is. The owner provided documentation that she claims that she was provided by the people seen in the photo above. That “proof” includes unsigned Department of Transportation forms which state it’s a federal crime to falsely complete. The “proof” also includes an ID card that you buy for $69 right here. And a letter from a marriage counselor who apparently has been granted authority to permit dogs anywhere she chooses.
As a reminder, Florida Statute makes it clear that lying about any of this can land you in jail. Look no further than this sign at a Delray Beach restaurant.
While we feel for restaurant owners that believe they are doing the right thing and tend to take customers at their word, we find it surprising that owners believe online certificates and blank federal forms are legitimate service animal proof. What do you think about the “proof” provided, above? Share your thoughts, below. (Read our latest Boca Rudeton™ here).
Nothing shown here makes these legitimate service dogs, especially the 5lb multipoo that’s being carried around.
Keep up the good work of shaming and blaming these rude, obnoxious, and inconsiderate people who think they and their dogs are special. I am a dog lover and dog owner who has never taken my dog inside a restaurant or store other than Pet Supermarket. I have called out people who bring their dog into Publix or a restaurant, and have hand delivered a letter to a Publix store manager and emailed Publix headquarters to complain about the frequency of seeing dogs in my local store. Publix has done better about placing signs and warnings, but I still see dogs there on occasion. When I complained about one lady who had a dog and told her it was illegal, an old man said “well I don’t know, I sometimes bring my dog with me.” I just looked at him and said “well, stop!”
Unbelievable people! Most all service dogs I have run into have a legitimate harness with signs saying, service animal, I am working, please do not touch or pet me. Over 40 yrs of working with blind patients or other disabilities holds true to the fact that when they come in to an environment they are working hard for their owners , if you open your eyes you will see they are not being led around on a leash, being carried in someone’s arms or popping up in someone’s purse. Please give these working service dogs the respect and Acknowledgment that they deserve. Unless you have post traumatic stress , life threatening seizures and are considered disabled then you legitimately have a trained service animal . Otherwise Hire a Dog Sitter for your emotional support dog !
Thank you so much for saying that. I have been harassed and chased by morons. I have a 75lb standard poodle service dog who was trained for almost two years. It cost a fortune to help with my disabilities. I may look fine but inside I am not. Oi agree with you wholeheartedly. You can tell a trained service dog from a regular dog. It is very evident.
Dawn Thank you so much for saying that.
💯
Take your stuffed toy animal into the store or restaurant if you need emotional support.
S T O P degrading people who have a service dog because they can’t see, can’t safely cross street, need hearing help, or need real service for seizure help, etc.
Use your fake service animal with you in your fake Chanel handbag!
These three categories of assistance animals all perform different tasks and, as such, have “DIFFERENT LEVELS“ of public access protected by law.
Service animals:
Are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and afforded rights to enter public establishments.
Are trained to assist a single person.
May live with owners regardless of pet policies under the Fair Housing Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
May fly with their disabled owner in the cabin of an aircraft as part of the federal Air Carrier Access Act.
Therapy animals:
Provide emotional support or comfort to a number of different people in various settings (e.g., visiting hospital patients, comforting witnesses during court testimony or offering support to trauma survivors).
ARE. NOT CONSIDERED A SERVICE ANIMAL UNDER THE LAW and ARE NOT COVERED by or afforded rights through the ADA.
Emotional support animals:
Provide emotional support through companionship.
May live with owners regardless of pet policies under the Fair Housing Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
ARE NOT CONSIDERED A SERVICE ANIMAL UNDER THE LAW and IS NOT COVERED
by or afforded rights through the ADA.
It is important to note these differences. Even though therapy animals and emotional support animals may be very well trained and properly behaved, they ARE STILL NOT QUALIFIED service animals and do NOT have the same access rights.
Googled animal registry mentioned in your article: Saw this and tons of animal registries and all labeled scam:
“Is there a real registry for service dogs?
No. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not certify nor set up a registry for service animals. While a search on the internet will provide results of organizations claiming that they will certify or register your animal for a fee, these are not valid under the ADA and only seek to profit from their claims.” (Of course, most of us already know this.) Google animal registries, and there are probably hundreds. They collect a fee. It’s big scam business. Same with the “therapists” and their form letters, saying they have a relationship with the person. B.S.
We live in a world were so many people believe that they are entitled to do as they feel with no regards to others.
These definitely are not service dogs, false papers that can be purchased over the internet! A service dog is not carried, he/she walks beside their owner watching and listening if any medical problems arise! These women should be ashamed of themselves and should be arrested!
Hybrid designer dogs that are nothing more than accessories for the over-botoxed are not service animals.
For decades seeing eye dogs were allowed everywhere for obvious reasons.
No one ever complained.
Unfortunately, this whole “ service animal “ thing is a scam 99% of the time.
If you can’t be without your animal for a few minutes, don’t go in the establishment where they are prohibited.
1) The therapist says it is an ESA, so no deception here and these animals are not allowed. No one says they are service animals.
2) The second and third forms are used to bring an animal on a plane. It is not signed, so it is not approved and it is meaningless. GoodVets is named for verifying vaccinations. Pettable is the company listed to verify the training. All appear to be unsigned.
3) No one carries a working service animal. They are always working. They are trained to stay and sit and will notify the owner if they need to go to the bathroom.
You goto almost any other state and you don’t see this. If the table at a restaurant, or counter at a store is the boundaries for these dogs outside of the house, imagine what’s going on when they are home. Yuck! And as a matter of public safety can these service dogs be relied upon to be quiet and not yapping heaven forbid there is an active shooter situation. This will only be fixed when people start brings cats out.
Publix and other food establishments need to adopt that big red “Service Animal Fraud” poster shown above, and paste that in front of all store entrances. And call the police if someone lies about their dog when caught. 👍🏼
You do the disabled community such a disservice when you fail to perform any research on the topic. This is also a shameful way to approach the issue. Service dogs are not given any federal or state licenses, nor can anyone (establishment or customer) ask the person to provide proof. This protects disabled individuals who have service dogs from harassment, which occurs on almost a daily basis any way. If an establishment has a sign posted making it clear ESA dogs are not welcome (you can reject an ESA dog in some states), then you can approach the person but it would be more effective yo have staff approach the person. There are many small dog breeds that perform amazing medical alert services. Do not assume bc it is a small dog that it is not a medical service dog.
If there is a dog in your establishment that is barking, lunging, or causing a disturbance, I recommend getting a manager who can approach and ask the person to leave. Service dogs are not allowed to do the above behaviors. If there is a dog just present and not causing a disruption LET IT BE.
The only form any service dog owner has would be the federal transportation declaration if they have traveled with their animal. Those certificates are just one more costly scheme to exploit disabled people. Dogs are incredibly helpful to so many who struggle with daily tasks. Have more empathy and become more educated on the ways in which the medical community uses dogs to save peoples lives.
As real as a check for $69 can buy one. As far as I can tell the only questions asked are those you ask yourself! Check here for the oh so stringet requirements (cough cough): https://usdogregistry.org/registration/register-service-dog/
I completely agree that animals should not be permitted in restaurants, grocery stores, etc. It disgusts me! The issue is with the ADA law. #1, there is no requirement that a service animal be trained by an organization and/or company. Rather, the owner can claim that they personally trained the animal and that is perfectly acceptable, which is ridiculous but the law. #2, the business establishment has its hands tied under the ADA. Specifically, the business establishment can only ask the following questions: (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability? and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform? The employees are not allowed to request any documentation for the dog, require that the dog demonstrate its task, or inquire about the nature of the person’s disability. As such, the business takes a gamble of kicking the patron out who has a verifiable need for the animal, which then subjects it to a Civil Rights Lawsuit and damages, including, pain and suffering, punitive damages, etc. The law needs to be amended requiring a government issued ID for the animal as opposed to relying the owner to verify.
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