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In Madison, Wisconsin, a new bill introduced in the state legislature seeks to crack down on people who falsely claim their pets are service animals. The proposal, led by two Republican lawmakers from Northeast Wisconsin—Senator Rachael Cabral-Guevara and Representative Paul Tittl—aims to reinforce integrity in the use of service animals while ensuring those who truly rely on them are not affected by imposters.
Image Credit from YouTube videoUnder the proposed legislation, individuals who misrepresent their pets as service animals in public spaces like restaurants or stores could be fined $200 for a first offense and up to $500 for subsequent violations. The Wisconsin Restaurant Association is backing the bill, highlighting the increasing concerns over food, employee, and customer safety caused by untrained or disruptive animals.
“We really want to make sure that our public accommodations are safe and accessible for the folks who truly need them,” said Susan Quam, executive vice president of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association. “We’ve seen too many situations where an unruly animal has caused problems, and that hurts everyone.”
Beyond public spaces, the bill also tackles misrepresentation in housing. Under current law, individuals seeking to keep an emotional support animal in a rented property can be asked to provide documentation from a licensed health professional. The new bill adds that this documentation must now include a prescription and be issued only if there has been a minimum 30-day relationship between the provider and the individual.
If someone provides false documentation or misrepresents their need for an emotional support animal to obtain housing, they could face a minimum fine of $500. Health professionals who provide prescriptions without verifying an existing relationship would face the same penalty.
Image Credit from YouTube videoThe bill updates the legal definition of a “service animal” to align with federal law under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), limiting it to dogs or miniature horses that are individually trained to perform specific tasks related to a person’s disability. While the ADA does not require certification for service animals, it restricts what business owners can ask. Only two questions are allowed: whether the animal is needed because of a disability, and what task it has been trained to perform.
Brenda Cirricione, director of training at Journey Together Service Dogs, emphasized that service animals can be trained by professionals or by the person with the disability themselves. “The ADA was designed to give people flexibility. Just because someone appears able-bodied doesn’t mean they don’t have a legitimate need,” she said.
However, she also noted that the ADA empowers business owners to remove any animal, service or not, if it is behaving disruptively. That means barking, lunging, or damaging property can be cause for removal, regardless of the owner’s claims.
To help businesses comply with the law and communicate their rights, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development will be tasked with producing free window signage and educational brochures. These materials will inform the public that task-trained service animals are welcome, but misrepresenting an animal is a violation of state law. The department must consult with business groups and service animal organizations to ensure the information is accurate and practical.
Image Credit from YouTube video“This bill is not intended to ‘go after’ folks who legitimately need a service or support animal,” said Senator Cabral-Guevara. “In fact, it’s quite the opposite. It’s meant to protect those individuals by holding accountable the people who abuse the system.”
The legislation has generated support among business owners and service animal advocates who are frustrated with people bringing pets into public spaces under false pretenses. Many worry that fake service animals can create dangerous or disruptive situations and ultimately erode trust in real ones.
Image Credit from YouTube videoWith this bill, Wisconsin joins a growing list of states taking action to close legal loopholes and strengthen protections for legitimate service animals and their handlers. Lawmakers believe the proposed changes strike a balance—upholding the rights of people with disabilities while ensuring that public and private spaces remain safe, respectful, and orderly for everyone.
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