State Republicans Author Bill to Crack Down on Residents Who Misrepresent Their Pets as Service Animals

Tuesday, June 3rd, 2025 -- 10:01 AM

(Hope Kirwan, Wisconsin Public Radio) A Republican-authored bill hopes to crack down on Wisconsinites who misrepresent their pets as service animals.

According to Hope Kirwan with Wisconsin Public Radio, the legislation would prohibit a person from “intentionally misrepresenting that he or she is in possession of a service animal” in public places, according to an analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau.

Those who do could be fined $200 for a first violation and $500 for subsequent offenses. The bill would also change the state’s definition of a service animal to align with federal law.

Wisconsin currently allows any animal that is trained to perform tasks for an individual with a disability to be considered a service animal, while the federal definition is limited to dogs and miniature horses.

The legislation was authored by Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevara, R-Appleton, and Rep. Paul Tittl, R-Manitowoc. In a message looking for cosponsors, the lawmakers said the proposal “strikes a balance between the rights of individuals with legitimate needs and the rights of property and business owners to maintain reasonable control.”

People misrepresenting pets as service animals has been a problem for years, said Aaron Backer, executive director of WAGS, a Madison-based organization that trains service dogs for people with disabilities.

“It’s hurting the reputation of legitimate service dog organizations because the business owners see a dog walk in with someone and go, ‘Oh, here we go again,’” Backer said.

Federal law only allows businesses to ask if a dog is required because of a disability and what tasks the animal is trained to perform, which Backer said can make it hard to determine if a service animal is legitimate.

He said that’s especially true given how easy it is for pet owners to buy a vest or other gear online to make a dog appear legitimate. “I get calls quite frequently from businesses that are kind of at their wits end trying to figure out, ‘how do I know it’s a legitimate service animal? And what do I do to find out that information?’” he said.

The legislation would require the state Department of Workforce Development to create an informational brochure to help businesses understand their rights related to service animals.

It also would direct the agency to create new signage for businesses’ doors and windows that specify that “task-trained service animals are welcome,” a clarification that Backer supports.

Susan Quam, executive vice president of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association, said restaurants are often afraid to confront someone about a poorly behaved service animal, both out of the fear of targeting someone with an actual disability and for fear of costly legal action.

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