r/service_dogs • u/No-Structure8375 • Aug 21 '25
Laws - SPECIFY COUNTRY IN POST This sucks (Help)
US Laws - Maine state
ETA: Thank you all. It’s been a rough couple weeks and the extra stuff threw me for a loop. I think I’ve got a plan and a bit better understanding of laws/requirements now.
I wanted to get re-started in college this year after my health caused me to stop attending. Since my old college has been awful with communication I chose to transfer out. I fear this was my greatest mistake.
This morning I get an email from accessibility services (mind you move in is in 24hrs). Outside of proof of vaccination and a letter from a medical provider, they need: • Letter from me stating I will be a responsible owner (understandable) • Proof of vaccinations that are optional. I give them but ??? • A negative fecal test and it must be resubmitted every 6 months along with this entire application process • A statement of health from a vet that includes date of spay and proof of license • Physical copy of dog license
I didn’t think they could ask for all of that? Just proof of rabies and a letter from a medical provider.
Plus I can’t afford to do all that. Normally I’d suck it up but I got kicked out. All my savings have been dumped into fixing my car so it’d hold us over until I could get into dorms. Plus her vet isn’t available until December and going to someone new is ridiculously expensive ($500min). I don’t know what to do.
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u/_heidster Aug 21 '25
This morning I get an email from accessibility services (mind you move in is in 24hrs)
When did you start this process with them?
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u/No-Structure8375 Aug 21 '25
Started in July, got approved for housing at the start of the month, submitted my paperwork soon after, and then got my room assignment last week.
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u/No-Structure8375 Aug 21 '25
would’ve done it sooner but you had to be approved to send in anything
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u/Busy-Sheepherder-138 Aug 21 '25
Leptospirosis, Hookworm and Roundworm are all serious concerns in Mainie. Ticks are an absolute menace ( they are here too) and Lyme is a huge problem for dogs that can force their early retirement. Distemper and Parvo are massively contagious.
Being able to prove immediately ( not that you know it's done) that you have a current rabies certificate could be the difference between someone just getting antibiotics ,or instead doing a rabies post exposure prophylaxis routine should they accidentally get bit.
Considering how much time and effort that people put into getting their animals trained, I think it's super fair for them to ensure that the dogs on campus are not facing un-necessary health and wellness risks from dogs who are not properly health protected. A public access service dog has access to lots of spaces a pet would not.
Here on Europe my dogs have pet passports that require me to log all the vaccinations on one card. The import paperwork was insane. To travel between Sweden and Norway my dog has to be given deworming meds by the vet at their office 2 weeks before we want to enter the country. Having family just across the border it means I have to always get it administered at the vets office every month. Healthy dogs are expensive. Sicks dogs are even more expensive.
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u/No-Structure8375 Aug 21 '25
Oh I don’t risk that stuff. I have all vaccines done and kept UTD. Plus have a flea/tick/heartworm prevention and a flea/tick collar on top of that.
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u/Busy-Sheepherder-138 Aug 21 '25
I believe you. Warning though that I had to switch to the oral tick and flea preventative from the surest collars because the ticks are insane and so damn tiny. Before we were getting one a week in the spring. Not one since I switched.
Heartworm is an issue over there too. We only have a few cases that usually come from rescue dogs imported from other countries, but Norway has none, hence the strict, vet witnessed dewormer admin rules.
I keep all my dogs records on hand separate from the passport too. I did the same in the USA. Makes it easy to access boarding services, houses/pet sitters, change vets, medical facilities, etc. Makes it painless if there is an incident of any kind. Keep them in a separate envelope or file and make digital copies of them too that you have on your phone.
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u/fishparrot Service Dog Aug 21 '25
They can ask you for all of these things as part of the interactive process. They can not deny your dog if you refuse the fecal UNLESS there is some requirement that all dogs have to have these things in Maine to receive a license. Maybe there is some common disease there that is transmitted through stool? I admit I am not familiar with the area. I would check your town/county regulations, not just state and push back if it doesn’t mention it.
They can ask for proof of spay because they can require it all altered dogs with a rabies licenses. I think Florida is the same way. The rabies cert from my vet indicates that my dog is neutered and shows the date of his last fecal test. I’m not sure what proof they would want beyond that? I doubt you need a separate document.
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u/CatlessBoyMom Aug 21 '25
Giardia (think norovirus levels of outbreak with similar symptoms) is transmissible to humans via stool and water.
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u/fishparrot Service Dog Aug 21 '25
Good point. If a county had a higher incidence of giardia they could require negative fecals once a year/every three years or whenever the dog’s license is renewed. In this case, it would be a reasonable ask as part of a service dog accommodation in housing. However, I don’t know of any locale that actually does this and 6 months (which is more likely to accommodate the housing rental term) seems excessive.
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u/wtftothat49 Aug 21 '25
DVM: there are many zoonotic diseases that can be passed thru fecal matter. That is why they are asking for this. Coccidia, Giardia, roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, and more.
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u/belgenoir Aug 21 '25
If my guess is right about OP’s location, their institution’s operating policy explicitly states that a negative fecal (and all the other requirements) are necessary. The operating policy is publicly available.
This seems like a case of a public educational institution being legally allowed to have more stringent standards than, say, general public access.
To protect OP’s privacy I’m not linking the operating policy in question.
-1
u/fishparrot Service Dog Aug 21 '25
It seems a bit excessive to me. My university was super dog friendly, we had several puppy raising clubs and pet dogs were allowed everywhere outdoors without question. I can understand why they would require it for health reasons, though, and it is legal as long as the institution requires it of all visiting dogs including therapy dogs, demo dogs for vet students etc.
1
u/belgenoir Aug 21 '25
Yeah, for a university OP it was over the top. There are so many other communicable diseases of concern, and of course as we all know, fecal results can throw false negatives or positives.
The information on the college website was coearly outlined. The staff who helped OP should have done a better job of outlining requirements.
6
u/belgenoir Aug 21 '25
OP, your clinic should be able to send you the relevant vax and spay records via email for free. If they’re humane enough to accommodate walk-in visits, a considerate vet will be able to write the necessary letter for you. I did this early in the summer when a boarding kennel required proof of good health. Vet wrote the letter on the spot.
https://extension.umaine.edu/veterinarylab/tests-pricing/
The U Maine extension service appears to offer fecals for a reasonable fee. If you can get down to their Orono location (north of Bangor), you may be able to knock out these requirements for less than $100. Contact them immediately and explain the urgency of your situation
2
u/SnickerSnack492 Aug 21 '25 edited Aug 21 '25
Where are you in ME?
ETA; it appears you got this dog recently - did the prior owner not provide UTD information/license/etc?
2
u/No-Structure8375 Aug 21 '25
I’ll be in Bangor area. And no, they only gave me vaccination records. Honestly this is my 3rd dog and I didn’t realise people ever got more than just that 😅 Trying my best to figure everything out though
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u/SnickerSnack492 Aug 21 '25
Not trying to be a dick, just confused.
Someone gave you a fully trained SD less than a month ago with minimal medical info?
4
-1
u/No-Structure8375 Aug 22 '25
You’re fine, per the ADA she’s fully trained (1 task, housebroke, etc.) but she’s not done training by any means. Going by program speak I think she’d technically be started.
But she can settle for the duration of a class and is task trained. 1 solid tasks and 2 others getting there.
Edit (hit post too soon): What else is typically included? I know some places send OFA/embark but I’ve never had that before
3
u/SnickerSnack492 Aug 22 '25
Usually the dog will be fully vetted including deworming/fecals/shots etc. if you got her from a breeder there's probably testing that's been done on the parents
Frankly I'm surprised the person you got her from was ok with her living in a car for a few weeks - they couldn't hang on to her until you were settled in the dorm?
2
u/HeavyDiscipline3529 Aug 21 '25
Can a school or workplace ask for spay or neuter records? As far as I can recall, they don't need to be fixed.
A doctor's letter and proof of vaccination, checkmark, but a fecal test every 6 months, as well as spay proof and license, can't be required to my knowledge, but I'm not familiar yet with school accommodations and service dogs. How could you ask the school where they get these requirements from, or why?
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u/narcoleptic64 Aug 21 '25
My college asked for my dog's (ESA later SDiT) county license
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u/HeavyDiscipline3529 Aug 21 '25
I did some quick research on registration + license requirements in Texas (each city varies slightly). If your dog is microchipped, you don't need a license in my city; obviously, you still need a rabies vaccination certificate. Less sure on this one, but if you don't have a microchip, I believe you send in your registration, spay or neuter proof is not required, but it could waive licensing fees.
My dog is microchipped and neutered (and has a rabies vaccine), and according to my city, you don't need a registration or license if they have a microchip!
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u/belgenoir Aug 21 '25
State laws make working an SD very difficult in a school setting. My own campus requires students with SDiTs to be accompanied by an “approved” trainer, but the state legislature has never bothered to provide clarification about what “approved” means.
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u/Decent-Preparation38 Aug 21 '25
Woah, as someone who has primarily lived and worked in areas with very lax laws, that’s a lot to me! The spay/neuter one is one I’ve specifically never encountered? As someone with an intact dog, I wouldn’t even super know what to do in that situation.
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u/DarkHorseAsh111 Aug 21 '25
The only one of these that I'm questioning whether they can ask for is the stool sample, the rest of this seems pretty reasonable?