Training, not certification, required for service animals

I’ve recently been asked to elaborate a little bit on service animals and their role in the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Under the ADA, a service animal is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person’s disability and certification is not required.

Some states have laws that allow people who have emotional support animals into public places; however, an animal that provides comfort just by being with a person does not qualify as a service animal under the ADA (unless that animal performs a specific job or task).

Service animals can be any breed of dog and must be under the control of the handler at all times.

Employees may be asked two specific questions in regard to the use of service animals: (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability? And (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform?

The ADA does not require covered entities to modify policies, practices or procedures if it would “fundamentally alter” the nature of the goods, services, programs or activities provided to the public. Nor does it overrule legitimate safety requirements.

Some exclusions may include where there are allergies to animal dander, if the animal is being disruptive, leaving the animal unattended, where health rules prohibit, religious institutions and organizations (excepting local laws), Federal agencies, and commercial airlines.

For more information about the ADA, visit the website at or call the toll-free number 24 hours a day at 800-514-0301.

Sept. 14. Water: The caller states a geyser has appeared where none was before at 12:55 a.m. in the 1300 block of Georgia Avenue.

Welfare: The caller states an elderly woman that he does not know got into his car and will not get out at 5:35 p.m. in the 500 block of Avenue B.

Thought for the day: That’s one way to get a ride home, I suppose.

Sept. 15. Parking: A delivery truck is parked directly in the middle of the road at 2:24 a.m. in the area of Dreamcatcher Drive and Adams Boulevard.

Solicit: The man has had plenty of police contact but is now on official notice that soliciting rides and failing to give identification information will not be tolerated in the future at 11:07 a.m. in the 1600 block of Boulder City Parkway.

Thought for the day: We all have the right to decide if we want medical treatment or not; however, mental illness needs a special dispensation for care purposes.

Sept. 16. Theft: The caller states a woman just stole her bed sheets from a dryer and ran into another residence at 12:52 a.m. in the 800 block of Avenue A.

Suspicious: The 911 caller is in a car full of crazy people and the officer comes upon a vehicle stopped in the travel lane with people running around it about the same instant at 4:27 a.m. in the 1400 block of Boulder City Parkway.

Thought for the day: The entire “clown car” is intoxicated and unlicensed and the original fight occurred in another jurisdiction.

Sept. 17. DUI: The traffic stop goes a little awry and the officer soon knows why at 3:03 a.m. in the area of Avenue I and Utah Street.

DUI with accident: One of the subjects involved in the accident just isn’t acting right at 6:07 p.m. in the area of Nevada Way and Fifth Street.

Thought for the day: Who needs a holiday to celebrate? Now, let’s try leaving the keys and car at home.

Sept. 18. Vagrant: The man has a suitcase and is set up for the night at 4:34 a.m. in the 1000 block of Nevada Way.

Follow up: The juvenile admits “decorating” the area and a parent will provide transport for him to remove it before the end of the day at 11:58 a.m. in the 600 block of Arizona Street.

Thought for the day: Take my word for it, it’s much more fun to make the mess than clean it up.

Sept. 19. Petty larceny: The management states that a woman in a moving-type vehicle left without paying for their items at 7:12 a.m. in the 800 block of Buchanan Boulevard.

Welfare: Officers are able to verify that a missing person from another state is alive and well at 2:41 p.m. in the 1200 block of Tamarisk Lane.

Thought for the day: If you’re going on vacation, it might be good to let your roommates know.

Sept. 20. Threats: The caller reports a subject from a prior relationship is driving by on a moped making threats and screaming at 8:56 a.m. in the 1300 block of Darlene Way.

DUI: A resident who is also an officer with another jurisdiction stops a reckless driver and finds a little more going on at 10:16 a.m. in the area of U. S. Highway 93 and Gingerwood Street.

Thought for the day: It somewhat takes away from your fierceness if you are seated on a moped while trying to act mean.

Call of the week: Animal: The officer subdues the (82-foot-looking) snake using nothing more than a shovel and hurls it (over 100 yards) into the desert followed by a healthy barrage of rocks to encourage its continued movement toward uninhabited area at 5:50 p.m. Sept. 14 in the 600 block of Mount Bear Way.

Tina Ransom is a dispatcher with Boulder City Police Department. She is coordinator of the Boulder City Citizen’s Academy.