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PSYCHIATRIC SERVICE DOG PARTNERS: DOGS SAVING LIVES

PSYCHIATRIC SERVICE DOG PARTNERS: DOGS SAVING LIVES

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Home » Resources » Service Dog FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) » Ask an expert
We don’t provide service dogs or scams. We inform all comers through sensible guidance and free resources from our all-volunteer community of peers. Learn about our mission, history, and how we use our expertise to help.
News

January 6, 2021—Community photos from last year are now posted!

Colin is sitting in a rowboat with a golden retriever, Lyla, in a green lagoon, facing the camera. He is a young man and has dark brown hair, light skin, and is wearing a red life jacket, jeans, a black mask under his chin, and a burgundy shirt. Lyla has a medium gold coat. Lyla and Colin are both smiling with eyes closed in happiness while Colin puts his arm around Lyla.

December 16, 2020—New, high-demand article: “Service dog letter templates”. This will help service dog users and healthcare professionals get the right wording for the right purpose.

Fictitious sample service dog letter from "Galactic Counseling" with humorous aspects. The letterhead says "Our care is out of this world, but we give you space when you need it."

December 12, 2020—Our 2021 convention is shifting from May to Oct. 1–4 because of the pandemic. We hope you can (safely) join us near Charlotte, North Carolina in the fall!

December 2, 2020—New resource for reporters. In light of the stories we anticipate about the flying law update, we are announcing the release of our service dog reporting guide early!

first page of service dog reporting guide

December 2, 2020—DOT announced its new service animal flying regulations. We have a brief analysis with highlights of DOT’s historic update on our advocacy page. The new rules will come into effect January 11, 2021.

Click to reveal more news items on this page…

November 27, 2020—Our community voiced high support for the creation of lawmaking resources this year, so we now have a section of our site dedicated to helping lawmakers (and their constituents) craft better service dog laws. Our lawmaking guide can make the process easier for everyone!

First page of lawmaking guide: service dogs

October 26, 2020—We get asked so often how to find a service dog trainer. In a new article, Dr. Veronica Morris dispels myths and walks you through the options for future service dog users who don’t get a service dog from a program.

People and dogs stand and sit in a wide aisle of a grocery store around a woman with a small dog who is explaining something to the small group.

September 27, 2020—Thanks to the loving reviews of the community we serve, we’re grateful to announce we are a GreatNonprofits Top-Rated nonprofit for the sixth year in a row.Badge: GreatNonprofits 2020 Top-Rated Nonprofit. Volunteer. Donate. Review.

September 4, 2020—Would you like to follow the finances of an all-volunteer nonprofit? You can find our financial report for our last fiscal year and budget for this fiscal year on our Investing in PSDP page.

August 17, 2020—Winners announced for our 2020 meme contest! Thanks to all the community members who entered and to those who voted.

White woman with short, dark hair stands with hands outstretched to a Golden Retriever in a vest. The dog sits up with its paws outstretched up to the woman's hands. Text says "Why walk through life alone when together we can dance?".

July 16, 2020—We’re proud to have earned GuideStar’s Platinum transparency rating for 2020!

July 10, 2020—We’re staying safe and not having a 2020 convention, but our 2021 Convention is now scheduled for May 14–17 in Charlotte, North Carolina. We hope you can join us, with our new safety measures in place!

March 3–July 14, 2020—Service dog teams sometimes need platform relief areas to ride the rails. Comment by the extended deadline of July 14th to help make train travel more of a reality for our community!

A short-haired woman in purple and a black and gray Standard Poodle service dog sit at a bench on a train platform and look to the right at a train that says "Amtrak California" on the side.

March 22–April 6, 2020—This is the most important US advocacy opportunity for service dog users in a decade. Please read more on our advocacy page about the flying law update and get your comment in!

Horizontally oriented cover page with green PSDP logo, photo of three service dog handlers in airport lobby with Wright Brothers airplane overhead, and text: "The rights are in the details, PSDP's ACAA NPRM comment, March 2020".

March 17, 2020—Do you want a stronger exit from public interactions than our basic FAQ flyer provides? Our new “Handler Needs Space” printable (PDF) flyer is a FAQ flyer, but features a prominent “HANDLER NEEDS SPACE” title with a stop sign. Please use your discretion.

Part of a flyer, with a stop sign and text visible that says "HANDLER NEEDS SPACE".

March 13, 2020—Our 2019 Community Photos are now available as a pleasant diversion to brighten your day.

A woman with shorts and a tshirt walks across a city street with a tan Labradoodle. Next to her is a woman in a dress and leggings and her small Japanese Chin.

February 19, 2020—TaTiana Cash, of local CBS TV news station 7 News out of Spartanburg, South Carolina, interviewed PSDP’s Veronica and Brad Morris in their home for a story about a woman with POTS getting a service dog.

February 2, 2020—Have you been harassed by the “service dog police” when you’re doing nothing wrong? It’s important that we have community standards, but it’s also important that we don’t cause harm through a culture of suspicion. Read more in our latest advocacy entry!

Yellow graphic with woman and small service dog in background, PSDP logo and "Behavior, not belongings psych.dog". Text: Don't play service dog police and harass disabled people • You can’t see an invisible disability
 • Service dogs come in all sizes and breeds
 • No special labels, vests, or IDs are required for service dogs • Encouraging suspicion makes outings harder for all service dog teams
 • Needing help with training or etiquette doesn’t deserve bullying • Service dogs have to behave—but not like robots
 • A service dog team can have a bad day or need help
 • Harmful or very disruptive behavior deserves removal, whether it’s a service dog or not

January 28, 2020—The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has issued new guidance on housing accommodations for disabled individuals with assistance animals. This guidance clarifies the simple process most housing providers should use to accommodate service animal users, as we explain in our Laws FAQ.

January 15, 2020—PSDP leaders participated in a roundtable discussion of AKC’s Service Dog Pass. You can now watch the video, listen to the audio recording, or read the transcript.

December 22, 2019—This might surprise you: Service dog IDs are the wrong answer! Learn more about this and how you might push back against AKC’s latest wrong answer.

A bright green graphic with black text, with a picture in the background of a golden retriever in a service dog vest on its hind legs tapping a woman's outstretched hands as she leans down. A logo for Psychiatric Service Dog Partners appears in the upper right corner. The text reads: Service dog IDs are the wrong answer (use non-ID law cards instead!) • Employees give the next disabled service dog user a hard time when the one before used an ID • Has no legal meaning in the US (no recognized registry/certification) • Forcing disability-related paperwork for normal access violates human rights • Employees often treat service dog documentation as a free pass for bad behavior • Service dog or not, dogs should be removed if they are aggressive or persist with bad behavior Behavior, not belongings www.psych.dog

December 10, 2019—Want to help disabled service dog users get to our convention? Sponsor Apollo for $25!

A tiny plush Doberman wearing a vest sits on a wooden deck looking up expectantly at the camera, ears raised outward as if ready for a hug, with a colorful ball at its feet.

Apollo would love your help!

 

 

Ask an expert

Community members ask a variety of experts for input within their areas of expertise.

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Ask an attorney

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Ask a dog trainer

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Badge: GreatNonprofits 2020 Top-Rated Nonprofit. Volunteer. Donate. Review.



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