Mountaineers for Equal Access

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• Referral from May 12, 2015
  

  Jess C. asked:

  Dog lovers: I'm wanting to compile a list of dog-friendly shops, cafes, etc. that allow you to bring a leashed, friendly dog in the Morgantown/Fairmont/Bridgeport areas. Know of any? Give me what you have! Do you own a business or know someone who does that's dog-friendly? Let me know!

  

  Billy P. replied:

  ADA Specialist here. Emotional Support animals ARE NOT PROTECTED UNDER THE ADA. Emotional Support animals are ONLY protected under Fair Housing. There is also NO CERTIFICATION for an ESA, the only documentation required is a letter from a healthcare professional. Obviously get gets complicated quickly. Service Animals are a completely different thing all together and ARE protected under the ADA, however there are absolutely rules regarding services such an animal must provide however, interestingly, while it is legal for a business owner to ASK what a service animal does---they can't refuse service if the handler refuses to show it. Some states like Maryland have special rules regarding placards/leashes/etc for service animals, however a jacket is NOT required. The DOJ and the Access Board are actively considering how to tackle this issue, as there is an issue with people lying about their animals being service animals. While we as advocates aren't especially concerned with the liars and we don't want our folks punished by the actions of a few vocal law breakers, we absolutely don't want to make access any more difficult than it already is for folks who need them. There are also more varieties of actual service animals than we have space to discuss here---it's a very fascinating and little known bit of Federal Law. I will be doing at least 3 ADA courses this summer, probably all in Fairmont, free for folks who want to join the Citizens Advisory Committee that serves this region, Mountaineers for Equal Access. https://www.facebook.com/MountaineersEqualAccess (This is a DRS sponsored committee, but--as you are free to ask them, it doesn't mean we play nice with them always. :) )

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