# I'm making my redfoot a service animal



## Tortoise_Nerd (Apr 29, 2017)

I have anxiety. My doc has told me that I can get a service animal, so I am choosing my redfoot . She will be so cute


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## SarahChelonoidis (Apr 29, 2017)

I assume you mean as an Emotional Support Animal?


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## Tortoise_Nerd (Apr 29, 2017)

SarahChelonoidis said:


> I assume you mean as an Emotional Support Animal? Does registering a tortoise as an ESA get around some of Tennessee's rules?


Well I live in Georgia . Thanks for correcting me


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## SarahChelonoidis (Apr 29, 2017)

Redfootcare101 said:


> Well I live in Georgia . Thanks for correcting me



Doh, I am sorry, I mixed you up with someone else. What's the benefit of registering an ES tortoise?


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## Tortoise_Nerd (Apr 29, 2017)

SarahChelonoidis said:


> Doh, I am sorry, I mixed you up with someone else. What's the benefit of registering an ES tortoise?


What do you mean by "benefit"?


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## SarahChelonoidis (Apr 29, 2017)

Redfootcare101 said:


> What do you mean by "benefit"?



What does it allow you to do that you couldn't already?


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## Tortoise_Nerd (Apr 29, 2017)

SarahChelonoidis said:


> What does it allow you to do that you couldn't already?


I can take her wherever I want


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## SarahChelonoidis (Apr 29, 2017)

Redfootcare101 said:


> I can take her wherever I want



This is likely a difference between our two countries then. Canadian businesses (airlines, restaurants, etc.) can reject emotional support animals (but not service animals) if they aren't trained for service.


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## Tortoise_Nerd (Apr 29, 2017)

SarahChelonoidis said:


> This is likely a different between our two countries then. Canadian businesses (airlines, restaurants, etc.) can reject emotional support animals (but not service animals) if they aren't trained for service.


In my state I'm pretty sure that businesses can NOT decline emotional support animals


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## cmacusa3 (Apr 29, 2017)

SarahChelonoidis said:


> This is likely a different between our two countries then. Canadian businesses (airlines, restaurants, etc.) can reject emotional support animals (but not service animals) if they aren't trained for service.


I think that's also a law here, I've seen places refuse snakes as support animals.


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## wellington (Apr 29, 2017)

We have another member that if I'm not mistaken has their tort as their support animal. Not sure if it officially is, but he does just that for them.


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## Tortoise_Nerd (Apr 29, 2017)

cmac3 said:


> I think that's also a law here, I've seen places refuse snakes as support animals.


Where are you located?


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## cmacusa3 (Apr 29, 2017)

Redfootcare101 said:


> Where are you located?


In the US and I would definitely suggest you research it because the law is very fine when it comes to support vs service. Places have the right to refuse support.


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## cmacusa3 (Apr 29, 2017)

The ADA considers such “emotional support animals” to be distinct from psychiatric service dogs, and treats them differently. The ADA does not grant emotional support dog owners the same right of access to public places that it gives to individuals who use psychiatric service dogs. That means that under the ADA, a movie theater, for example, must allow psychiatric service dogs to accompany their owners into the movie auditorium but can refuse to admit individuals with emotional support dogs.

So I would assume this for any support animal.


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## Tortoise_Nerd (Apr 29, 2017)

cmac3 said:


> The ADA considers such “emotional support animals” to be distinct from psychiatric service dogs, and treats them differently. The ADA does not grant emotional support dog owners the same right of access to public places that it gives to individuals who use psychiatric service dogs. That means that under the ADA, a movie theater, for example, must allow psychiatric service dogs to accompany their owners into the movie auditorium but can refuse to admit individuals with emotional support dogs.
> 
> So I would assume this for any support animal.


I will definitely research that.


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## Tortoise_Nerd (Apr 29, 2017)

Ok question. Can she be a service dog if I have a brain injury?


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## SarahChelonoidis (Apr 29, 2017)

Redfootcare101 said:


> Ok question. Can she be a service dog if I have a brain injury?



Only a service dog can be a service dog. Other species of service animals exist but service tortoise don't exist as they can't go through the training required. If you need a service animal, there are experts you can talk to - your family physician or therapist can start that discussion with you.


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## dmmj (Apr 29, 2017)

the ADA clearly states then a service animal must be trained to do a service emotional support animals are not covered under the ADA


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## Team Gomberg (Apr 29, 2017)

cmac3 said:


> The ADA considers such “emotional support animals” to be distinct from psychiatric service dogs, and treats them differently. The ADA does not grant emotional support dog owners the same right of access to public places that it gives to individuals who use psychiatric service dogs. That means that under the ADA, a movie theater, for example, must allow psychiatric service dogs to accompany their owners into the movie auditorium but can refuse to admit individuals with emotional support dogs.
> 
> So I would assume this for any support animal.




You beat me to this..

I am glad to hear that your tortoise brings you emotional comfort.
I am also glad that you are being properly informed of the differences between an ESA and true service animal.

**Fake service dogs are a huge pet peeve of mine.**

Just last week a fake service dog attacked my dog. If I hadn't known how to handle it and my dog wasn't 100% obedient, it would have gone so wrong.


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## Tortoise_Nerd (Apr 30, 2017)

SarahChelonoidis said:


> Only a service dog can be a service dog. Other species of service animals exist but service tortoise don't exist as they can't go through the training required. If you need a service animal, there are experts you can talk to - your family physician or therapist can start that discussion with you.


Ehhh I meant service animal lol


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## ZEROPILOT (Apr 30, 2017)

I do wonder how many places would try to argue if the tortoise was or was not needed for emotional support for a customer/citizen.
Especially if that person was accompanied by some official looking scrap of paper.
As @Team Gomberg has mentioned, there are so many people with "support animals" that are truly NOT support animals.
But with the politics going on right now. Who would stop you from say carrying a tortoise into the shopping mall? And are we certain that the emotional support isn't actual and needed?
Is an emotional support animal not a real thing? Curious.


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## EmilyTheTurtle (May 1, 2017)

I have an emotional support tortoise. His name is Nappa and he is my everything. But in the United states at least, no he does not have the same rights as a service animal. (And only dogs and mini horses can be real service animals) An ESA cannot go places with you like a service dog can. However you can fly on a plane with her and if you live in a place that doesn't allow pets, she is still able to live with you and you don't have to pay any sort of pet fee that some places require.


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## Tom (May 1, 2017)

I'm glad to see that so many people understand the difference between a "service" animal and a "support" animal. The ADA is very clear on this, and abuse/misunderstanding of these concepts is likely to cause a big crack-down by the .gov, and ruin things for a lot of people. As a trainer of "service" animals, and someone who has to work around these definitions, this topic is of interest to me.

One thing that I think should be mentioned, but I haven't seen pointed out yet, is the welfare of the tortoise in this adventure. While a domestic dog or mini-horse can be socialized and taught to accept and be comfortable with the normal hustle and bustle of everyday life, a reptile can not be desensitized to the same degree. Also, a tortoise needs a proper enclosure with the correct environmental parameters. How will this be provided while driving, riding or walking around during the course of a normal day?

While the idea of this sounds okay to me, in practice, I don't see how it can work and still be good for the tortoise. I think there are other pets that would be more suitable. A mammal or bird that doesn't need a heat source would seem a better choice to me.


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## dmmj (May 1, 2017)

is a monkey considered a service animal? because if so I'm getting one


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## Tom (May 1, 2017)

dmmj said:


> is a monkey considered a service animal? because if so I'm getting one



Yes it can be. They require a lot of training.


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## Team Gomberg (May 2, 2017)

ZEROPILOT said:


> I do wonder how many places would try to argue if the tortoise was or was not needed for emotional support for a customer/citizen.
> Especially if that person was accompanied by some official looking scrap of paper.
> As @Team Gomberg has mentioned, there are so many people with "support animals" that are truly NOT support animals.
> But with the politics going on right now. Who would stop you from say carrying a tortoise into the shopping mall? And are we certain that the emotional support isn't actual and needed?
> Is an emotional support animal not a real thing? Curious.



No one needs to argue if an emotional support tortoise is a valid need or not. Emotional support animals of any kind are not granted the same access as service animals therefore wouldn't be in allowed in most public places.
A service dog can go into a grocery store or a restaurant.
An emotional support dog (or tortoise) can not go into a grocery store or a restaurant.

You can take your ESA into most hardware stores and pet stores. Any store that allowes pet access. If a pet can't go, an ESA can't go.

It is against the law to ask a person what disability they have.
Legally you may ask them what service the pet is trained to perform.

Their answer to that question can determine if they are a service animal or not.

Unfortunately, you are right that in this politically correct and fearful culture, most businesses won't confront a customer with an animal even when the animal is behaving out of line.


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## leigti (May 2, 2017)

cmac3 said:


> The ADA considers such “emotional support animals” to be distinct from psychiatric service dogs, and treats them differently. The ADA does not grant emotional support dog owners the same right of access to public places that it gives to individuals who use psychiatric service dogs. That means that under the ADA, a movie theater, for example, must allow psychiatric service dogs to accompany their owners into the movie auditorium but can refuse to admit individuals with emotional support dogs.
> 
> So I would assume this for any support animal.



And the only animal the ADA allows is a dog or a miniature horse guide animal. So you can call your animal whatever you want to but it doesn't mean you have any legal rights. 
Are you doing this out of a real need, or just a desire to have your animal with you at all times? And is a tortoise really the right animal to have with you? Think about it for the animals welfare.


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## Cowboy_Ken (May 27, 2017)

Tonight on the local, (Portland) news, one of the reports was on this very topic. They were mainly focusing on flying and the federal laws involved. But, they did show how easy it is to have an animal declared an emotional support animal. From what they showed, it was a very easy process, and if you didn't pass any of the 5 questions asked, you could simply take the test again and it provided you with the incorrect answer.


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## leigti (May 28, 2017)

Cowboy_Ken said:


> Tonight on the local, (Portland) news, one of the reports was on this very topic. They were mainly focusing on flying and the federal laws involved. But, they did show how easy it is to have an animal declared an emotional support animal. From what they showed, it was a very easy process, and if you didn't pass any of the 5 questions asked, you could simply take the test again and it provided you with the incorrect answer.


That demonstrates what the problem is. To easy, and not much responsibility.


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