Pets At Fields

District VIII has a no animal policy for all games and practices.  This is for the safety of players and parents, and helps to protect all from liability issues, due to an incident with a pet.  Officials/league representatives will suspend a game, until a dog is removed from the fields.  The party may be subject to ejection, if they do not remove their dog.

The policy is focused at dogs, as this is the animal type that most people will bring to the fields, and it is the only animal qualified by law to be a 'service' animal.  Within this policy, District VIII allows for parties with registered service dogs to bring their dogs to the field.

Individuals can be expected to be asked two questions by law,  if their dog is a service animal, and what form of service the dog was trained to provide, when seen at a field.  The party may answer the two questions and remain, or refuse to answer and leave the fields immediately.  You may NOT ask the party to see the animals 'papers'.   If a party portrays a dog as a service animal, when it is not, they are violating state law, and have committed 'service dog fraud'.  Under California law, this is a misdemeanor, with up to six months in jail, and a $1,000 fine.  Any individual found misrepresenting their dog as a service animal will be reported to authorities.  Their ability to attend District VIII games/practices will be directly affected by their misrepresentation.  

'SERVICE DOG' vs 'EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOG'

There is a legal and distinct difference between a 'service dog' and an 'emotional support dog'.  

A service dog is trained to help people with disabilities such as visual impairments, mental illnesses, seizure disorders, diabetes, etc.  Emotional support dogs provide their owners therapeutic benefits through companionship.  Service dogs have legal rights to be in the public with their owner, this legal right does not apply to emotional support dogs.  In January, 2021, United Airlines joined other airlines in not allowing emotional support dogs to fly for free.  This had been a growing trend for businesses in 2020, in removing the capability for an emotional support dog owner to attempt claiming the same rights that a service dog has.  This had been brought about due to abuse by owners of emotional support dogs, misrepresenting their dog to be a service dog.

The option to use a service dog is given under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and local governments.   According to the ADA, service animals are  working animals, not pets.  They have been specifically trained to perform tasks related to the disabled person’s specific disabilities.  Simply having a disability isn’t reason enough to categorize your own dog as a service dog.

Emotional support dogs are covered under disability accommodation laws in regard to housing because they allow the person the “full enjoyment” of the residence.

However, emotional support animals  do not have to be accommodated in public facilities or privately owned stores, conveyances or other venues.

Summarized, the only dog allowed at soccer fields are 'service dogs', not 'emotional support dogs'.