How Can I Legally Take My Dog Everywhere?

Dogs are beloved members of the family. The favorite part of going out is being able to tag everyone along.

Being apart, even for an hour or two breaks your heart. Having to leave them behind when you go to the restaurant or grocery store can be quite a bummer.

Wouldn’t it be nice if you can bring your adorable pooch everywhere you go? 

Sadly, you cannot legally take your dog to every public place you visit. Pets are great and all but they are animals after all.

They are sometimes out of control in public places and may negatively harm other people. Some cause allergic reactions while others disturb the peace of others.

Is there anything you can do legally to ensure you can bring your friend everywhere?

 We investigate…

Is It OK To Take Your Dog Everywhere With You?

Understandably, the law doesn’t permit pets in specific places. Even in America – the most dog-friendly country, canines aren’t invited everywhere.

Granted, things are much better now as more and more places create provisions for our beloved furry friends.

Still, you cannot wake up and decide to go with your pet anywhere.

For instance, health codes by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) dictate that dogs aren’t allowed in food stores and restaurants. Only service dogs can enter such establishments.

There are plenty of reasons for this. The most obvious is hygiene.

The law is there to limit food handlers from contaminating food with dog dander and sober. It also limits the possible effects of pet fur on people with allergies and asthma.

Please note, though, that the above are not necessarily laws but recommendations by the FDA.

US cities have their own rules and regulations regarding access to public areas by pets. For instance, most cities don’t allow dogs in restaurants.

If you bring one with you to these facilities, you may get in trouble with the authorities unless you own a service animal.

How Can You Legally Bring Your Dog Everywhere?

There are no shortcuts when it comes to bringing your pet wherever you go.

You cannot expect to bend the law and hope that you can talk to someone to have your dog be given special treatment.

As long as you have a pet, the local laws apply to you as it does to other pet owners.

That means that if you want yours to go anywhere with you, change the places you visit. Look for dog-friendly places and stick to those.

However, there’s one ingenious way you can change things in your favor. You guessed it—make your doggie one of the many service dogs in America.

These special canines are given a free pass anywhere their handlers visit. In short, service dogs are designed to assist people with disabilities.

 They help their owners perform specific tasks related to their disabilities. As such, they can go to any public place including restaurants, parks, libraries, beaches, and food stores.

Well, before you convert your dog into a service dog, you should, of course, prove that you are actually disabled.

The American Disability Act (ADA) defines disability as an individual with a mental or physical impairment that limits one or more life activities.

 It can also refer to someone with a history of the impairment or one who is thought by others to possess the impairment.

Examples of disabilities under the ADA include blindness, mobility issues, hearing impairment, panic disorder, PTSD, and severe depression.

Service dogs are specially-trained pups that pretty much make decisions for the benefit of their owners.

For example, if they are caring for diabetic patients, they should alert people if the owner’s blood sugar drops below the required level.

Some administer the medications. To make your dog a service dog, follow the following procedure;

1. Assess Your Dog

Not all dogs are cut out to be service dogs. Some lack the abilities and personalities to carry out this heavy mandate. 

A good service dog can focus for long periods, learn and maintain information fast, adapt to different environments, and keep calm in a new place.

If your dog doesn’t have the right physical fitness, temperament, and skills, consider getting another dog.

You may want a professional to assess the dog for you.

2. Train the Dog

Once you have determined that your dog qualifies to be a service dog, the next order of business is to train him.

The pet requires special training to be able to perform the necessary tasks without a problem.

Enroll the dog in training classes as soon as possible. Training is the most important aspect of a service dog so spend enough time here.

3. Register the Dog

Although registration is not a must for service dogs, it helps pet owners deal with property owners, landlords, security guards, and other people who want to see the documentation.

Registration will give your dog an ID, registration papers, vest, and other necessary accessories that help identify him with ease.

Look for a reputable registration company such as the Service Dog Registration of America.

After doing all the above, your service dog should be able to come with you anywhere you go.

The most important thing is to properly train the dog to ensure that he can carry out his tasks perfectly.

Registration only proves that the pet actually qualifies to be called a service dog.

Can Your Pet Be Taken Away From You?

As mentioned before, there are laws governing having pets in certain areas.

If you are caught with your dog in the wrong spot, you attract conflict.

In such a case, the police is mandated to confiscate the animal, especially if he is showing dangerous behavior.

As long as you are in a public space that doesn’t allow pets, your dog would fall into the hands of the authorities.

The dog may be judged for a misdemeanor – a case punishable by imprisonment in the local jail for up to one year, forty hours of community service, or a fine not exceeding 5,000 bucks.

Closing Thoughts

There you have it – how to legally take your dog everywhere.

There’s no other way to do that than to make your dog into a service dog.

 You can only do that if you have a disability in the first place. If you don’t, forget about visiting certain places with your pet unless given permission.