Customized Service Dog Badge Information

Service dogs are used to assist people with disabilities in performing tasks they would not be able to do without assistance. Customized badges are available to mark these dogs in public forums as working dogs and not pets.

Misconceptions

• Service dogs are not required by law to wear an identifying harness, vest or even a customized badge. They must be admitted with their handler to any area accessible to the general public even if a "no pets allowed" policy is in effect.

Identification

• Service vests, with such things as patches, are popular identification choices for their immediate visual cue. Customized service badges with the dog's picture, handler's name and contact information are often used in conjunction with the vest as further verification of the dog's service animal status.

Benefits

• Many disabled handlers choose to outfit their dogs with a vest or badge to make public interactions go more smoothly. Establishments are more likely to welcome the animal and not harass or question the handler if the dog is clearly identified as a service dog.

Warning

• Though customized service dog badges are available through many retailers without proof of the dog's service animal status, it is important to understand that it is illegal to misrepresent a pet as a service dog, and the act is punishable by law.

Expert Insight

• Service dog badges with a brief outline of the Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines on the back can become a very useful education tool if questioned about the dog's presence.