| When we see the visually impaired with their seeing | | | | service animal. But Rose who has to deal with |
| eye dog, we think nothing of it. The dog does not | | | | emotional or mental impairments does not get |
| make us uncomfortable because they are the most | | | | afforded the same rights. |
| common pet. Dogs are man's best friend so to speak. | | | | Health Department officials met with a local service |
| Seeing eye dogs can go everywhere: the bus, | | | | agency, the Southwest Center for Independent Living, |
| restaurants, the mall, and even the restroom. Those | | | | which is acting as an agent for Rose. The Health |
| that are visually disabled need these four legged | | | | Department told the agency that Rose must produce |
| creatures as service animals, as animals they can | | | | some kind of federal ruling or certification that the |
| depend on. | | | | monkey is a service animal under the ADA before it |
| So let's look at another animal: the monkey. We can | | | | will consider allowing her to take the money into public |
| and do pay to watch monkeys be exploited at a | | | | places, said Kevin Gipson, Director of Health. |
| circus without a problem. We can go to the zoo and | | | | Science has shown on that a monkey can be |
| see them caged up, tis also seems to cause no | | | | domesticated. In fact, monkeys have the ability to |
| problems. We enjoy monkeys as a from of | | | | actually communicate where as mans best friend (the |
| entertainment. But we would appear as a general | | | | dog) does not. Anatomically, monkeys are the most |
| public we cannot deal with a monkey being in the | | | | physically like humans and perform similar functions |
| same space as a domestic animal. | | | | which could help anyone with an anxiety problem. |
| Debby Rose of Springfield, Missouri, suffers from an | | | | Meaning, those with anxiety issues can interact with an |
| anxiety disorder (an emotional disability) that makes it | | | | animal that is very much like themselves. |
| really difficult for her to go to public places like the mall, | | | | Cynthia Magnuson, a spokesperson from the Justice |
| restaurants, the grocery store, and places like that. She | | | | Department in Washington, told the Springfield |
| has had her macaque monkey, named Richard, join | | | | News-Leader that while the law is somewhat vague |
| her in all of her outings. Rose feels that the federal | | | | about emotional support animals, there is still a law that |
| Americans with Disabilities Act should allow Richard as | | | | covers the subject. We have actually prosecuted |
| her service animal. | | | | cases where people have had emotional support |
| There's not a lot of people are on the same page as | | | | animals, she said. It's kind of a fine line, but the law errs |
| Rose. Her family says that she truly cannot perform | | | | on the side of protecting individuals that are disabled. |
| simple functions like being in public without her monkey. | | | | An emotional disability is a disability nonetheless. |
| So here is the problem, the blind population (those that | | | | Is the real problem here, the monkey? |
| are physically impaired) have the right to have a | | | | |