Yellow lab in blue vest picks up a gift bag off a counter for a person sitting in a wheelchair with the words "A service dog is more than a vest"

Misrepresenting a pet as a service dog is against the law and has serious consequences for people with disabilities who rely on trained service dogs for independence. Fraudulent service dogs cause confusion around the laws and can pose a serious threat to the safety of working service dogs.

93%

of graduates have encountered an uncontrolled dog in public where pet dogs are not allowed.

88%

of graduates have had a dog interfere with, vocalize at, bite, or growl at their service dog.

52%

of graduates feel that their quality of life and independence has been impacted by fraudulent service dogs.

Who Does Fraud Impact?

Service dog fraud impacts our graduates and other people who rely on trained service dogs for independence.
The quotes below come from a recent survey of our assistance dog teams–those directly affected by fraud.
young girl with her mother sits with their yellow lab service dog wearing a blue vest

“A dog in a vest growled and snapped at our Canine Companions skilled companion. Because we are a three-part team, our service dog was between me and my son; this put my son in danger.” -Skilled Companion Facilitator

person in wheelchair with dog
“The store owner said people were bringing their badly-behaved pets into his store, so he adopted a ‘no dogs at all’ policy.” -Service Dog Team
Hearing dog service dog in blue vest alerting owner to a noise

“[Being denied access] is exhausting and makes me feel more reluctant to take my service dog into public.” -Hearing Dog Team

young girl in a wheelchair sits with a yellow lab in blue vest putting its head on her lap

“I’m so scared we will have a problem that we have avoided all air travel with our Canine Companions dog.” -Service Dog Facilitator

Stand Against Service Dog Fraud

  • Every day, the safety and access rights of legitimate service dogs and their handlers are threatened by fake or untrained service dogs. Take action — STAND AGAINST SERVICE DOG FRAUD.

    Your Pledge

    ☑ Yes, I pledge to stand against service dog fraud

When we have 25,000 signatures, we will reach out to industry and trade associations and groups to make our united voice heard. Note: Canine Companions never shares or sells your information with others.