Texas Sunset is correct in that Amtrak may only ask 1) if the animal is a service animal, and 2) what service the animal is trained to perform. Comfort animals are explicitly NOT allowed. It can be a dog, cat, guide horse, or whatever. It is unfortunate that there are people out there who are willing to abuse the system, which in the end will only make it more difficult for the legitimately disabled who require a trained animal to travel with them.
Small dog on amtrak
- Thread starter BillVasi
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In another thread someone posted an official looking document from an official looking website saying that only dogs and horses are currently allowed as approved service animals under the current clarification of the ADA's service animals guidelines. There are no cats, monkeys, etc. that can be claimed, at least per my present understanding. Although, personally, I'd probably have more respect for someone trying to bluff their way aboard with a conventionally sized monkey or house cat than a toy sized dog. :lol:
The reason I don't bring any pets aboard, besides the fact that it's against the rules, is that I don't want to clean up after them. I don't see a train trip as being very fun for most pets and if they're not feeling well you can't just stop and let them out to do whatever they have to do like you can with a car. I feel the same way about airplanes but at least in that case it tend to be over pretty quickly. My advice is to leave your pets safe at home with a close friend to keep watch over them. Or if they get along well with strangers you can take them to a trusted kennel. I'm as big a fan of passenger rail as anyone, but as it currently stands it's not really setup for transporting cherished pets in a way that will be easy on either of you. -_-
The reason I don't bring any pets aboard, besides the fact that it's against the rules, is that I don't want to clean up after them. I don't see a train trip as being very fun for most pets and if they're not feeling well you can't just stop and let them out to do whatever they have to do like you can with a car. I feel the same way about airplanes but at least in that case it tend to be over pretty quickly. My advice is to leave your pets safe at home with a close friend to keep watch over them. Or if they get along well with strangers you can take them to a trusted kennel. I'm as big a fan of passenger rail as anyone, but as it currently stands it's not really setup for transporting cherished pets in a way that will be easy on either of you. -_-
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Acela150
Super Buff
I would love to see a "guide horse"... That's just bizarre.. What is that a mini horse?? :blink:
amamba
Engineer
Well my dog is a member of my family and I love him, so my preference is to take him with me when possible. We drive to vacation destinations and stay in pet friendly hotels like kimpton or rent a house. But I obviously don't take him on Amtrak as it is against the rules.
EB_OBS
Conductor
Service animals are trained. Most pets generally are not. I see people with animals on the trains all the time who I suspect are lying about their animal being a service animal.
An animal that is aggressive in any way, if it barks or growls at people, it can be removed from the train.
If an animal isn't housebroken, and/or has accidents then it can be removed from the train.
If an animal isn't under the total control of it's owner/handler at all times it can be removed from the train.
Service animals are NOT ALLOWED on seats unless it is explicitly required for the animal to perform what it was trained to do.
I believe that most animals aboard are indeed service animals. I have no doubt though that I seem many animals whose owners are lying to Amtrak that their animal is a service animal. These people are the reason there's a "bad attitude" toward most animals on board.
It's really too bad that the changes in the law did virtually nothing to curb the abuse of the service animal provisions of the ADA. While it did limit service animals to mostly dogs, the majority of people lying about a service animal have dogs.
Nowadays you can get a doctor to prescribe just about anything, including a service animal, for just about any affliction. There are more disabilities defined today than ever before and it's increasing. How did we all get along before all the acronyms, pills and prescriptions that exist today?
Most animal training experts will tell you there's no way known to train an animal to perform some of the tasks people will tell you their animal is trained to do. Yes some animals have been able to instinctively learn to detect subtle changes in a person's demeanor or behavior, maybe even perhaps their smell or body temperature. Experts don't know and many disagree on the subject. How exactly do you train an animal for this though? Like I said, many animal experts will tell you you can't. The definition of a service animal contains "has been trained." It's pretty clear.
Whatever the circumstances or situation or the law, it's still the people who lie about needing a service animal, so they can bring their pet, that create the animosity, distrust and excess scrutiny for legitimate service animals.
An animal that is aggressive in any way, if it barks or growls at people, it can be removed from the train.
If an animal isn't housebroken, and/or has accidents then it can be removed from the train.
If an animal isn't under the total control of it's owner/handler at all times it can be removed from the train.
Service animals are NOT ALLOWED on seats unless it is explicitly required for the animal to perform what it was trained to do.
I believe that most animals aboard are indeed service animals. I have no doubt though that I seem many animals whose owners are lying to Amtrak that their animal is a service animal. These people are the reason there's a "bad attitude" toward most animals on board.
It's really too bad that the changes in the law did virtually nothing to curb the abuse of the service animal provisions of the ADA. While it did limit service animals to mostly dogs, the majority of people lying about a service animal have dogs.
Nowadays you can get a doctor to prescribe just about anything, including a service animal, for just about any affliction. There are more disabilities defined today than ever before and it's increasing. How did we all get along before all the acronyms, pills and prescriptions that exist today?
Most animal training experts will tell you there's no way known to train an animal to perform some of the tasks people will tell you their animal is trained to do. Yes some animals have been able to instinctively learn to detect subtle changes in a person's demeanor or behavior, maybe even perhaps their smell or body temperature. Experts don't know and many disagree on the subject. How exactly do you train an animal for this though? Like I said, many animal experts will tell you you can't. The definition of a service animal contains "has been trained." It's pretty clear.
Whatever the circumstances or situation or the law, it's still the people who lie about needing a service animal, so they can bring their pet, that create the animosity, distrust and excess scrutiny for legitimate service animals.
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Awwwwwwwwwwwww...
J
JJJJ
Guest
Service animals do not have to be well trained, they just have to provide a proper service to the disabled.
That DOES include reducing anxiety, detecting low blood pressure etc etc. Small toy dogs can and do provide these services. I know some dogs can even detect seizures before they happen.
Some are legitimate, some are not. Thats between a patient, a doctor and the animal.
Amtrak nor ANY business can ask for proof of disability or service.
So if you are an employee of Amtrak, of Dennys or of Nordstrom, and someone says their pet is a service animal....end of discussion.
Denying entry to the animal or asking for proof will land you in deep legal trouble.
That DOES include reducing anxiety, detecting low blood pressure etc etc. Small toy dogs can and do provide these services. I know some dogs can even detect seizures before they happen.
Some are legitimate, some are not. Thats between a patient, a doctor and the animal.
Amtrak nor ANY business can ask for proof of disability or service.
So if you are an employee of Amtrak, of Dennys or of Nordstrom, and someone says their pet is a service animal....end of discussion.
Denying entry to the animal or asking for proof will land you in deep legal trouble.
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Sad we have such crappy laws. If the handicapped parking worked that way, anyone would be able to claim they were handicapped even if they had no sticker and the police nor the shop owner of the property would be able to ask them to prove it.
My service alligator calms me down and makes me feel safe. As an added service, it eats cats. That makes me feel even calmer.
Devil's Advocate
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Actual service animals are some of the best trained animals I've ever seen. In fact I can't say I've ever seen a legitimate service animal that was not well trained.
And that is precisely the problem. There's no accountability and little risk of punishment for abuse. The honor system simply does NOT work. If the honor system did work then public restrooms would remain clean and usable instead of disgusting and broken.
Exactly. What we need are certifications that are relatively easy and inexpensive to acquire for actual service animals (provided with the animal by certified trainers) and relatively difficult for self absorbed types to buy or create. Doesn't have to be perfect, just better than the "anything goes" wild west system that we have today.
LOL! I happen to like (real) dogs and cats, but that was hilarious all the same.
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I live a couple of towns away from the Seeing Eye Institute where they train guide dogs.
I often see the dogs at my vets office. They are well trained and cared for. We had one
family friend who was a trainer and it is quite an extensive training program for the dogs.
Only about 60% of the dogs make it through the training successfully. I know families who
want to adopt dogs that do not make the grade as a guide dog as they are outstanding pets.
I often see the dogs at my vets office. They are well trained and cared for. We had one
family friend who was a trainer and it is quite an extensive training program for the dogs.
Only about 60% of the dogs make it through the training successfully. I know families who
want to adopt dogs that do not make the grade as a guide dog as they are outstanding pets.
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