There's no documentation required, but the law is clear about who can call their pet a service dog.
Cherry Hill teen Ben Shore recently made headlines for challenging his school district's policy on service dogs, bringing attention to several points that appear to contradict state and federal law.
Shore, 16, is on the autism spectrum and has panic attacks. He has trained his 2-year-old goldendoodle, Charlie, to sense an oncoming attack and lie on him or lick his face to distract and calm him. He can also bark for help, Shore said.
While his service dog is allowed access under the Americans with Disabilities Act to anywhere open to the public, Shore says he sometimes gets pushback because his disability is not a visible one.
Christopher Sweet of the Northeast ADA Center at Cornell University said that disabled people with service dogs are "getting questioned more and more in public settings" these days.
Part of the issue is a growing awareness that someone without a disability can buy a service dog vest or harness online, either because they mistakenly think their dog qualifies or just because they want to take their dog around with them.
A quick online search of service dogs will bring up a result that says, "Take your dog anywhere - How to make your dog a service dog." At the website, the Official Service Dog Registry, you can buy a $55 ID card, a service dog vest and other documentation with no verification.
But can you really "make your dog a service dog" and take it anywhere?
Unless you have a disability, experts agree, the answer is no. It comes down to the definition of a service animal. The federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines it as as a dog that is trained to perform a specific task or action for a person with a disability.
Anyone caught with a fake service dog in New Jersey could get fined as much as $500.
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The federal law also says a service dog can be kicked out of an establishment if it isn't housebroken, can't behave or poses a serious threat to anyone.
if it's not a trained service dog, chances are it won't be able to sit still and calm like a real working dog, Sweet said.
"These animals are trained to work," Sweet said. "If a dog is trying to get food from the table, it's not working."
The legitimacy issue is complicated in that there is no official registry or documentation for service dogs.
"They do not need to be trained by a formal trainer," said Mary Ciccone, managing attorney at Disability Rights New Jersey. "There's no formal, national certification," and no requirement that a dog wear an identifying vest or harness.
One big problem, experts say, is that most people don't understand the rules about the dogs, including even the basics like the difference between a service dog and the more-popular-than-ever emotional support animal.
"It's a hot-button topic," Sweet said of service dog law. As a technical assistant at the Northeast ADA Center, Sweet has led trainings for businesses and other people about the laws regarding service dogs.
"It's really one of the most misinformed parts of the ADA," he said.
What qualifies as a service dog?
As long as someone has a disability that can be mitigated by a dog performing a specific action, he or she can have a service dog.
The federal definition of a disability is a mental or physical impairment that "substantially limits one or more major life activities."
Sweet said the law does not specify whether the disability must be legally recognized by the federal government -- as it would be for someone who is getting disability checks -- or must be diagnosed by a doctor.
A business owner or person in charge of a public space cannot legally ask what a person's disability is, Sweet said.
The law says that one is only allowed to ask a person if the dog is a service dog necessary because of a disability and what task the dog performs. He or she cannot ask for proof or to see a demonstration.
Is an emotional support animal a service dog?
An emotional support animal that helps a person stay calm or has other positive effects is not a service dog because it is generally not trained to do specific work, Sweet said.
"Someone will say, 'I trained it to keep me calm,' but that's not a task," he said.
Emotional support animals are not guaranteed access to public places like service dogs are.
Federal law states that with a note from a doctor mental health counselor, an airline must allow the animals on flights and landlords must not deny people housing due to their emotional support animals.
Who can train the dog?
The ADA says that people with disabilities can train their own service dogs, and many do.
"It's totally acceptable, but if you haven't trained dogs in the past, it's always advisable to get someone who know what they're doing," said service dog trainer David Nowak. "Or get a trainer involved for advice, or you could have a major problem down the line."
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Nowak runs Kayla's Paws Service Dog Training, Education and Assistance Association, a nonprofit in East Brunswick. He helps some clients train dogs in their homes.
He said there are websites and groups online that offer instructions on training a service dog, but it's hard to verify that the information is coming from someone who has experience.
And just because a dog comes from a service dog company doesn't mean it is perfect, he said. Some of the larger companies will charge tens of thousands of dollars, and if there is a problem with a dog, there is no recourse.
Are fake service dogs among us?
Experts agree, there are definitely people slapping vests or harnesses on their dogs and bringing them shopping, to the movies, or anywhere else.
Sweet said that anecdotal evidence makes him think most of them are more ignorant than unscrupulous.
"What I'm seeing, from the calls I get, is that people misunderstand the law and misuse emotional support animals more and more to come out in social situations," he said. "I think it's getting worse."
Some business owners don't know what questions they can ask, that they can kick a bad dog out, and that they don't have to let emotional support animals in, he said.
Sweet said he tells them in trainings that it is generally best to let an apparent service dog in "if the person answers the questions adequately and the dog behaves and is sitting quietly."
Denying entry to someone who may have a legitimate dog could leave one open to a lawsuit or civil rights complaint, he said.
"There has been a push for a registry to be developed," Sweet said, but it would require owners be verified and that will cost money. Many think it could help reduce the number of legitimate service dogs being questioned.
"If there are rumblings from the disabled community about this, that may get better results," he said.
Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.