HB 4164, which passed both chambers and took effect on September 1, makes the false representation of animals as service animals a crime punishable by $1,000 and up to 30 hours of community service. Both locals and legislators alike are saying the misrepresentation of service dogs has increased challenges for those really in need.
“HB 5206 (a companion bill) should help restore the reputation that trained service dogs have earned and limit negative interactions that service dogs experience,” Texas Rep. Vikki Goodwin (R-47) told the Texas Council for Development Disabilities.
For all of the terrible things that have been recently happening in Texas politics, I think I can get behind this one as helping combat idiots claiming “service animals” and making it seem like people who actually need them are lying… as long as this isn’t used to make things harder for those who have actual service animals (as I could imagine this could lead to harassment for them).
Service animals need a federal licensing program at this point with standardized IDs and tags.
Agreed, 100%. There needs to be some sort of system in place for this, because just letting people get away with such egregious violations does nothing but hurt people who actually need service animals.
Hopefully this will squash the “pets everywhere” thing that has been going on over the past few years. Service animals are for the disabled, not so you can parade around your dog in public.
