HearingHubby;983577 said in part..
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Originally Posted by HearingHubby
My question to all you experts is, how bad does hearing need to be to get a service dog?
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There is no set db loss that's required by either the Federal or State government to have a "Hearing Ear" dog.
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How much of a hearing loss does it take to qualify?
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Private "Hearing Ear" dog organizations may have certain requirements that they want met.. and those requirements may differ from one organization to another.
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Does the ADA have a particular limit?
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The ADA is a set of laws/rules and regulations that relates to "Service Animals" and their handlers ability to legally access places where non-service animals wouldn't be able to go.. and not how much of a db loss is required to have/use a "Hearing Ear" dog.
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Does each state have its own definition, or is it just up to the Deaf person?
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I don't quite understand your question, so I'll try to answer it this way. As it pertains to "Hearing Ear" dogs, some states require certain things.. while others don't. As a example: some states reduce licensing fees for service dogs while others don't charge at all. But remember, when it comes to access, Federal ADA Laws supercede all.
Now, here's some interesting information. There is NOTHING required by the ADA that says a "Service Animal" must be professionally trained... and/or certified. As a example: one can go the dog pound, pick up a stray dog and train them themselves as a "Hearing Ear" dog (or any other service). Granted, there are certain tasks that the "Hearing Ear" dog should be able to do to help the HOH/DEAF person.
Shi-Ku (Who has a "Hearing Ear" dog.) Chishiki
ShiKu.Chishiki@Gmail.com