Illegal to ask person what the disability is

Published 9:00 pm Saturday, February 10, 2007

In regard to the letter about service animals in Sunday’s Herald, “Businesses need to enforce state law”:

The person who wrote this letter is quite misinformed by believing that service animals in Washington state are required to wear a vest and that the owner needs to carry a card identifying the service animal’s function. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) says that a service animal does not need to wear an identifying vest. Furthermore, it is unlawful to ask what the person’s disability is. For more information visit www.ada.gov.

The only purpose of putting an identifying vest on the service animal is for the owner to not get so many questions. Also, bringing a card that states what the animal is trained to do is the owner’s choice, not a law. While some states require a service animal to be identified, Washington state is one of the very few that does not require it. So next time you see a service dog without a vest, just be glad it isn’t a service cow, or another animal, because any animal can be a service animal.

Molly Polk, AGE 14

Mukilteo